Mikel Arteta has expressed concerns over Arsenal's growing injury list ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. The Gunners' boss faces a selection headache as key players are doubtful for the crucial London derby.

Arsenal already have confirmed absentees for the match. Arteta has now revealed that William Saliba and Leandro Trossard are also injury "worries". Both players missed the FA Cup victory against Portsmouth, initially believed to be due to squad rotation. However, Arteta confirmed that the France defender and the Belgian forward could miss the Chelsea game due to injury.

"The other worries are Saliba and Trossard," Arteta stated, adding an unpleasant surprise to the pre-match press conference. Saliba has previously been sidelined with an ankle problem this season, missing five games in November and December. Trossard has also had minor injury issues.

In addition to Saliba and Trossard's doubts, other players are unavailable. Defender Piero Hincapié is out with a muscle injury, with Arteta suggesting he will be sidelined for a few weeks. Riccardo Calafiori is also unavailable due to a muscular injury that has kept him out for the last five games. Arteta couldn't provide a specific return date for Calafiori. Youngsters Max Dowman and Cristhian Mosquera are also sidelined with ankle injuries and are expected to be out for a few weeks. Arteta said their injuries are very similar, with similar timeframes for recovery.

Arteta acknowledged the challenges posed by the mounting injuries, particularly in defense. "Yes, because we have experienced that first of all in the front line and then in the back line," he admitted. He emphasized the importance of finding solutions and praised the versatility of players like Christian Nørgaard and Declan Rice, who have filled in different positions. Nørgaard, who joined from Brentford in the summer, played at center-back against Portsmouth.

Despite the injury concerns, Arsenal will look to their FA Cup performance against Portsmouth for inspiration, where they secured a 4-1 victory. Gabriel Martinelli's hat-trick in that game will give the team confidence. Arsenal are currently leading the Premier League and are also performing well in the Champions League.

Chelsea, managed by Liam Rosenior, are also entering the game after a 5-1 victory against Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup. Rosenior may bring back key players who were rested for the FA Cup tie. Chelsea will be without Moisés Caicedo due to suspension. Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia, and Caleb Wiley are ruled out due to muscle injuries. Cole Palmer, Reece James and Malo Gusto also picked up knocks.

The first leg at Stamford Bridge promises to be a tight contest. Arsenal will aim to take an advantage into the second leg, which takes place next month.