Mikel Arteta backs concussion substitutes after David Luiz's head injury

Mikel Arteta has said he is in favour of temporary substitutes while players are assessed after incurring a head injury. It comes after David Luiz was involved in a sickening clash of heads with Raul Jimenez against Wolves at the weekend.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has backed the idea of having an extra concussion substitute as a temporary replacement when players with head injuries are assessed by doctors off the pitch.

Arsenal defender David Luiz will miss Thursday's Europa League game against Rapid Vienna as he continues to recover from an injury sustained after clashing heads with Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez on Sunday.

Jimenez was taken off the pitch on a stretcher and later underwent an operation on a fractured skull. Play restarted 10 minutes later and Luiz was allowed to continue playing with his head bandaged before being substituted at half-time.

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"You need an extra two minutes or five minutes to check someone, maybe we can think about that. After five minutes you need to make a decision to find a sub," Arteta told reporters on Wednesday.

"The player wants to carry on playing and the doctor has to tick all the necessary boxes to be certain that the player is okay to continue.

"If we have any extra doubt, we give them a bit more time if necessary but you cannot play as well 10 or 15 minutes with 10 men in football."

Klopp backs calls for concussion substitutes after Jimenez and Luiz incident

Arsenal were widely criticised for allowing Luiz to play on but the club defended the decision, saying "protocols were completed" with the player showing no signs of concussion.

Arteta added Luiz could return for Sunday's north London derby against league leaders Tottenham Hotspur if he was comfortable heading the ball.

• READ: Time to bring in concussion subs

Arsenal said the cut to the Brazilian defender's head will "take some days to heal".

"Close care of David's cut and general monitoring of his wellbeing will continue in the coming days and David continues to be in good health," Arsenal said in a statement.

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