Arsenal centre-back William Saliba is at risk of missing the trip to Manchester City early next month with a hamstring injury, according to a report.
The reliable defender was out of the game Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa with the question that Mikel Arteta cautiously described as “something muscular”.
Without their French pillar at the heart of the defence, Arsenal conceded a pair of goals from two crosses that were directed into the backline area that Saliba usually patrols, surrendering a 2-0 lead and lost to Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title.
Saliba started 57 of Arsenal’s previous 58 Premier League games, only missing the 2-2 draw against Liverpool in October due to suspension. Arteta is expected to be without his defensive mainstay for another two weeks, it said L’Equipe.
If the French magazine’s timeline is correct, Saliba will definitely miss Arsenal’s next three matches; their final Champions League fixtures against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona either side of a Premier League away game against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Gunners start February with a home game Manchester City on the first Sunday of the month. That encounter has been the title decider in each of the last two seasons, but it is not as high this season. City left them in the middle of the season aims to qualify for the Champions League but the fifth consecutive title, although in recent weeks they have tentatively started to return to form.
Just three days after that head-to-head clash in the top league, Arsenal travel to Newcastle United’s St James’ Park for the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on February 5. Saliba endured an unusually tough night against Alexander Isak in the first leg, as the Gunners were suffered a 2-0 defeat.
How Arsenal got knocked out of the FA Cup from Manchester Unitedthey have a ten-day break between matches, while the fourth round is played on the second weekend in February. If he hasn’t already, Saliba should be ready and available by the end of that little break.
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