Survival mode as defensive crisis hits

MIKEL ARTETA claims Arsenal are in survival mode after he lost another two defenders to injury before overseeing a nervous win against Brighton to move back to the top of the table.

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Jurrien Timber was ruled out of yesterday's fixture with an injury sustained on Boxing Day, while Riccardo Calafiori was forced out with a problem suffered in the warm-up.

Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera were also unavailable, with Declan Rice deployed as an emergency right-back.

Boss Arteta admitted: "At the moment we have survived six months. There's another five-and-a-half to go, so hopefully things will get better.