Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says injury issues are uniting his team after Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber were ruled out of their win against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Despite being in control for large periods of the game, the north London side edged a 2-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium to return to the top of the Premier League.

However, they did so without defenders Timber, who Arteta said “landed awkwardly” on Friday, and Calafiori who pulled out of the starting XI after aggravating an issue during the warm-up.

These issues forced Arsenal to play with central midfielder Declan Rice at right-back and bring Myles Lewis-Skelly into the starting line-up minutes before kick-off.

“We have a lot of issues that we are dealing with,” Arteta said in his post-match news conference. “Yesterday (Friday), we lost Jurrien and so today Declan has to play as a full-back.

“You see the performance that he (Rice) put in, so that’s the spirit and that’s how much our players want it.”

When asked about Calafiori’s issue, Arteta said: “It’s something that he felt yesterday. Something very awkward happened, and today in the warm-up, he wasn’t comfortable.”

Heading into the game, Timber was Arsenal’s only fit right-back due to Ben White (hamstring) and Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) being unavailable. Timber played the entirety of the League Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace on Tuesday and took a penalty in the eventual shootout, as did Calafiori.

However, Arsenal did receive an injury boost before the game with centre-back Gabriel coming on as late substitute for his first appearance since November.

“Hopefully, things will get better and there has been good news as well. For example we’ve got we’ve got Gabriel earlier than expected, which is great,” Arteta continued.

“The staff have done an incredible job, the way he pushes himself as well, that’s what we need. Because we lost one, we’ve got somebody else back.

“Yes (the injury issues are uniting the group). There’s something with Richy (Calafiori), it was something as well, very, very strange. But, I spoke to Declan and told him he needs to play there as a right back, and he said ‘Okay, I’m up for a challenge, I’m going to do my best.’ That attitude is great to witness.”

Arsenal are next in action against Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.