William Saliba has been instrumental for Arsenal this season, playing a key role in their league-leading defensive record. However, the French defender may now face time on the sidelines due to injury.
Saliba is a major doubt for Arsenal’s Saturday night clash with Aston Villa. He has been a consistent presence in the Gunners’ lineup, completing 90 minutes in all but two of their Premier League matches. His partnership with Gabriel has been a cornerstone of their defensive success.
The 22-year-old appeared to suffer a suspected hamstring injury late in Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham on Wednesday, raising concerns about his availability. Those concerns grew when Saliba was absent from the team’s final training session on Friday ahead of the Villa match.
Manager Mikel Arteta provided a cautious update, stating, “We have a few decisions to make this afternoon with the medical staff to determine if players are ready for this game or the next one.”
If Saliba is unavailable, Jakub Kiwior, who participated in Friday’s training, is expected to partner Gabriel in central defense. Arsenal’s defensive options are already limited, with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu out injured and Riccardo Calafiori still unavailable after missing the Tottenham game.
The Gunners currently sit four points behind league leaders Liverpool and face a tough test against Aston Villa, who are vying for a top-four spot.
Arteta acknowledged Villa’s quality, saying, “They have an excellent coach, very good players, and great organization. In the Premier League, every game is a challenge, and tomorrow will be no different. If we want to compete for top trophies consistently, we have to embrace these moments.”
Leave a Reply