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William Saliba is the latest to succumb to Arsenal's injury bug, and Mikel Arteta expressed concern post-match over the hamstring issue which saw the defender miss Saturday's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.
Arsenal were in an excellent position to match Liverpool's 2-0 victory at Brentford earlier in the day as they took a 2-0 lead of their own before the hour mark. However, that lead evaporated within eight minutes and a late disallowed Mikel Merino goal meant the spoils were shared at the Emirates.
The Gunners coped pretty well without Saliba, who has missed just one Premier League game this season due to suspension. Jurrien Timber partnered the excellent Gabriel which forced Thomas Partey into the backline, but the Ghanaian once again struggled at right-back.
Arteta will hope that Saliba soon returns given his significance in the manager's framework, but his post-match comments were hardly drenched in optimism.
Mikel Arteta 'very worried' about William Saliba hamstring injury
"He wasn't feeling right after the game"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 18, 2025
Mikel Arteta gives an update on William Saliba as he misses out for Arsenal today 🤕 pic.twitter.com/GEc4Vtqoe0
“For sure we are worried, very worried. We will have more information. Another test on him and we will see," Arteta told reporters on Saturday evening (via Fabrizio Romano).
Speculation surrounding Saliba's injury started to emerge on Friday as he wasn't spotted in training pictures, with the defender believed to have pulled up towards the end of Wednesday's North London Derby.
He stayed on to see out a 2-1 win, but fears regarding a potential absence on Saturday came to pass. While Arsenal said Smeanaliba was missing out because of a 'minor' injury, Arteta's post-match comments means there's reason to be concerned.
We do not yet know the severity of the Frenchman's hamstring issue, with the boss noting that Saliba will undergo tests on Sunday. Supporters thus face an anxious wait, with a significant Saliba setback one this team can ill afford to have right now. Arsenal are already thin in attack, but their ability to suffocate opponents and control contests has allowed them to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 12 games. Saliba plays a crucial role in Arsenal's suffocation and their ability to contain the counter-attack.
If the 23-year-old is sidelined for a while, Arteta should soon be able to use Ben White as mitigation. White has been out since mid-November after undergoing knee surgery, but he's expected to be back in action before the end of the month.