Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta played down the severity of William Saliba’s injury while revealing that the club will learn more by the end of Monday after the towering French defender was forced to sit out Sunday’s 1–1 draw with Chelsea.
Saliba was forced to missed the clash between first and second in the Premier League table at Stamford Bridge after suffering a knock in training.
It meant he joined usual centre back partner Gabriel on the injury list, leaving Arteta to scramble and pair summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié together in the middle. Lacking both aerially dominant starting centre backs might explain why the Gunners conceded first from a set piece. It was just Hincapié’s second Premier League start and only Mosquera’s third.
Fans face a nervous wait to know when Saliba might return, with Arteta confirming after the final whistle at Stamford Bridge that Gabriel still has “some weeks to go” in his recovery.
The Arsenal boss isn’t anticipating a big problem to be discovered, but it’s important that the club’s medical staff know what they’re dealing with to get the Frenchman back on the pitch as soon as possible, given the busy winter period that lies immediately ahead.
“I think he has got another test [on Monday] to see the extent of that feeling—that sensation he had—and we will know more,” Arteta explained to reporters when asked about Saliba.
“In training [on Saturday], he was uncomfortable, so we need to explore a little bit more what happened. I don’t think it’s something major, but enough not to be involved in the game.”
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It is hoped that Saliba might be back in action relatively quickly, but Gabriel’s estimated return is late December. The Brazilian powerhouse is potentially out of seven or eight further games—he’s missed three already since suffering a thigh problem while on international duty in the middle of last month.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mikel Arteta Breaks Silence on William Saliba Injury.
