Loan Watch: Mari’s Monza win at Inter Milan

It was another busy weekend for our loan Gunners, with no fewer than 17 featuring for their respective teams.

Pablo Mari’s Monza had a Saturday to remember, with Luca Caldriola’s late goal giving them an impressive 1-0 win over Inter Milan at San Siro. Pablo played the full 90 minutes.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles started but couldn’t prevent Southampton from losing 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace, for whom Sambi Lokonga was introduced with five minutes to play. The result leaves Ruben Selles’ side at the foot of the Premier League table, four points from safety ahead of their visit to Emirates Stadium on Friday.

Marquinhos started in Norwich’s comprehensive 5-1 defeat at Middlesbrough. Our winger was replaced after 57 minutes, with former Gunner, Chuba Akpom among the goalscorer for the hosts. Elsewhere in the Championship, Brooke Norton-Cuffy’s Coventry are just a point off the play-offs after a 3-0 win at QPR. Brooke was substituted 14 minutes from time. Meanwhile Auston Trusty played the duration as Birmingham were beaten 2-1 at Sunderland and Omar Rekik started in Wigan’s 1-0 defeat against Charlie Patino’s Blackpool - a result that leaves the Latics eight points from safety. Charlie played the final 12 minutes after replacing Ian Poveda.

In France, Folarin Balogun’s Reims were beaten 3-0 at Rennes.

Arthur Okonkwo now has four clean sheets in nine appearances for Sturm Graz after helping his team to a 2-0 win at Austria Klagenfurt.

Arthur was one of three on-loan goalkeepers to record a shutout over the weekend, with Ovie Ejeheri’s SJK drawing 0-0 at Honka in Finland’s top tier and Tom Smith’s Colchester United recording a vital 1-0 win at Salford City. The U’s are now six points clear of the League Two relegation zone.

Elsewhere in that division, Taylor Foran was brought on after 27 minutes but couldn’t prevent Hartlepool from losing 2-0 at Newport County while Mazeed Obungbo was introduced late on in Crawley’s 2-1 win over Tranmere - a victory that moved Scott Lindsey’s side out of the relegation zone.

Mika Biereth was brought off the bench in the 79th minute as RKC Waalwijk scored late to beat Groningen 2-1, with Nikolaj Moller introduced in the closing stages of Den Bosch’s 2-1 defeat against Helmond Sport. Alex Runarsson’s Alanyaspor were beaten at Antalyaspor after relinquishing a one-goal lead to eventually lose 3-1.