Mikel Arteta Admits Concerns Over William Saliba’s Injury

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William Saliba was absent from Arsenal’s clash with Aston Villa on Saturday night due to an injury sustained against Tottenham.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed deep concern over William Saliba’s hamstring injury, which forced the French defender to miss the 2-2 draw against Aston Villa. Saliba picked up the injury during the closing stages of Arsenal’s midweek victory over Tottenham, and his absence was keenly felt in the match against Villa.

Arteta revealed that Saliba will undergo further tests to determine the severity of the injury. “He felt something before the match, something muscular,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “I don’t think it’s too much, but he could not train yesterday. He wasn’t feeling good enough to play so we have to assess the situation.”

The Arsenal boss admitted that he is “very worried” about Saliba’s condition. “Not yet, tomorrow we will have more information,” Arteta said after the match. “Tomorrow we will have another test. Asked if he is worried, Arteta replied: “Yes, of course.”

Saliba’s injury comes at a challenging time for Arsenal, who are already dealing with several other key players being sidelined. Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Riccardo Calafiori are also out with injuries, leaving Arteta with limited defensive options.

Arteta emphasized the importance of Saliba’s recovery, stating, “He needs to get away for a few days and refresh. He can still do a lot of things with his rehabilitation because it is the perfect stage. It will make him better.”