Mikel Arteta has revealed a triple injury blow for Arsenal in light of their shock Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Fleetwood Town.

The Gunners were beaten on penalties at Fleetwood on Tuesday night after being held to a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes, with Arteta’s decision to rotate heavily backfiring.

Injuries forced his hand on some selection decisions, however, with the Spaniard revealing after the match that Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke all missed out due to fitness problems.

“Riccardo was out, Noni was out with an ankle and Declan Rice was finished with a problem the other day. That's why I had to substitute him [against Everton],” Arteta said.

The trio could now be doubts for the trip to Liverpool on Sunday, where Arsenal will need to bounce back from cup humiliation.

Their absence compounds Arsenal’s growing injury woes this season, with a crisis beginning to develop going forward.

Talismanic winger Bukayo Saka could be out until Christmas after being forced off against Bayern Munich with a thigh injury, joining summer recruit Christos Tzolis on the treatment table.

Madueke’s return to form, scoring a late winner at Nottingham Forest earlier this month, was welcomed as Arteta began to operate him on both flanks as a result of injuries, but his own setback will now give the Gunners boss an almighty selection headache.

This will be exacerbated by the suspension of teenager Max Dowman, who will miss the next three games after being sent off for kicking out at a Fleetwood player on a miserable night in the north west.

“I'm sad, I think we are all sad,” Arteta said after the match. “We have a massive responsibility to carry this badge in the best possible way.

“It had nothing to do with effort or application or determination to win it, but we lack other things to, to create a much bigger margin than today, with what we produce, they really should have been shown in the scoreline."