There is one difficult news for Arsenal. Their defender William Saliba is ruled out for 3-4 weeks with an ankle injury. The Frenchman, William Saliba is ruled out after he picked up the injury in the warm-up prior to the Liverpool match. This left Mikel Arteta to rearrange the defensive selection.
The Medical Update
Scans conducted after the match confirmed ankle damage, but the injury was never going to require surgery. Medical staff are hopeful that Saliba will be back in mid-October. But judging by the situation he will miss some significant fixtures both domestically and in Europe.
Saliba’s Importance
Saliba is a vital player for Arsenal’s defense, now he is an important player for Arteta’s team. Saliba has a great presence in the back. He has composure under pressure. Moreover, he has the aerial strength needed for a defender and he has positional awareness and intelligence. Whether he is the best center-back in the Premier League is open for discussion. But there are many who believes he is among the best. The team starts to show defensive stability without him. However, he is a void that will require the need to fill.
The Options for Arteta
In the near future Arteta will likely turn to Gabriel Magalhães and Jurrien Timber as his two preferred center-backs but also has Jakub Kiwior as backup. The manager emphasized to everyone the importance of the squad and depth in the summer and this shows why those players were vitally important.
Contract Talks Continue
Despite the injury issues, Arsenal seems to be moving forward in discussions to extend Saliba’s contract. The reports suggest that both Saliba and Arsenal are keen to secure the long-term future of Saliba at the Emirates and go forward out of necessity given the suspension of Gabriel Magalhaes.
Author’s Opinion
Arsenal fans will be anxious for Saliba to return, especially with tough games approaching against fierce rival clubs. For now, the Gunners must depend on the depth and versatility to carry on with their title run.
