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Arsenal returns to the Champions League this week, with an away fixture against Athletic Club to kick off the competition. The Gunners reached the semifinals last season, knocked out by narrow margins against the team that went on to win the entire thing, Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal has started the season brilliantly. They are yet to concede a goal from open play this season, and new signings have settled in grandly.
This is all despite Arsenal's most important players being injured. Bukayo Saka, William Saliba both picked up injuries before the international break, and Martin Ødegaard went down injured at the weekend.
Yet, and this is a testament to Arsenal's squad depth, there isn't any anxiety among the fanbase. The replacements in those positions are more than good enough to start.
William Saliba handed a timely Arsenal injury boost
William Saliba was spotted in training before the Champions League match against Athletic Club, which is brilliant news. Often, this means that the player is available for selection at the manager's discretion. If Mikel Arteta chooses to start Saliba, he can do so.
Bukayo Saka was not in training, and neither was the captain, Martin Ødegaard.
Whether or not Arteta opts for Saliba in the starting lineup remains to be seen, but he's more than likely to play in some capacity to regain match fitness.
On that note, Cristhian Mosquera has been a complete revelation for Arsenal recently. With two great performances on the bounce, it seems harsh to reduce his minutes to the bench at this stage. He is more than capable of starting in the Champions League.
This is the thing with Arsenal's squad so far this season, they can call upon some pretty good options from the bench. Dare we say it, it's made us not miss Saliba that match. It's a far cry from the horrible days of relying on Jakub Kiwior, mind.
The Champions League is obviously a huge competition, but with Man City on the horizon this weekend, Mikel Arteta will have one eye on that match too. In order of preference, the Gunners would prioritize the match against City in a heartbeat.
Liverpool might be top of the Premier League, but they're not playing like a team that should be top. Emotional matches are not sustainable at this stage of the season, so the Gunners anticipate Liverpool dropping points soon, and they need to keep up their pretty good record to capitalize on this.