Arsenal revealed that William Saliba suffered “a knock in training” which forced him to miss Sunday’s lofty Premier League clash with Chelsea.
The talismanic French defender started 10 of Arsenal’s first 11 Premier League fixtures this season, missing just the 3–0 win over Nottingham Forest in September with a twisted ankle.
News of Saliba’s absence for the trip to Chelsea came as an almighty surprise. Much of the buildup to the high-stakes London derby had been dominated by potential returnees. Cole Palmer would be back for the Blues and Mikel Arteta teased reunions with a glut of Arsenal absentees.
Viktor Gyökeres and Gabriel Jesus duly returned to the matchday squad on Sunday, but Saliba’s absence will serve as a serious blow.
Shortly after publishing the team news, the Gunners released a short statement explaining that the 24-year-old had picked up an unspecified injury in training ahead of the weekend bout. It’s unclear exactly which day that occurred—although, Arteta’s failure to mention any issue for Saliba during Friday’s press conference is no guarantee that it happened in the last two days.
Saliba was joined on the sidelines by his trusted centre back partner Gabriel, forcing the Gunners into a rare outing without either of their first-choice defenders.
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Since getting thumped 5–0 by Manchester City in August 2021, Arteta has named at least one of Saliba or Gabriel in the starting XI for 159 of the subsequent 160 Premier League matches. The only exception was the dead rubber on the final day of the 2024–25 campaign against already-relegated Southampton.
Jakub Kiwior and Kieran Tierney patrolled the backline that day—and conceded to a Ross Stewart header from the second-worst team in Premier League history. Both have since left the club, forcing Arteta into the inexperienced duo of Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié for Sunday’s trip to Stamford Bridge.
Both Spanish speakers joined Arsenal over the summer and have been tentatively eased into Premier League action alongside one of Saliba or Gabriel. The pair may never have started a top-flight match together before, but they were called upon to hold the fort for a Carabao Cup third-round tie against Brighton & Hove Albion last month.
The Gunners ran out 2–0 winners, though they gave up a wealth of chances. The Seagulls could have taken the lead inside the opening 10 minutes and amassed 18 shots, six of which were on target. Both those values represent season-highs for Arsenal at the Emirates in what has otherwise been a campaign defined by the club’s defensive solidity.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why William Saliba Isn’t Playing for Arsenal vs. Chelsea.
