Arsenal centre-back William Saliba risks missing the visit of Manchester City early next month with a hamstring injury, according to a report.
The reliable defender was ruled out of Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa with a problem that Mikel Arteta cautiously described as “something muscular”.
Without their French pillar at the heart of the defence, Arsenal conceded two goals from two crosses aimed at the backline area that Saliba usually patrols, ceding a 2-0 lead and losing ground to Liverpool in the title race in the Premier League. .
Saliba had started 57 of Arsenal’s previous 58 Premier League matches, only missing October’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool through suspension. Arteta set to be without defensive stalwart for another two weeks, says The Team.
If the French publication’s schedule is accurate, Saliba will almost certainly miss Arsenal’s next three matches; their final Champions League matches against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona either side of a Premier League trip to struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Gunners start the month of February by hosting Manchester City on the first Sunday of the month. This matchup has been a title decider in each of the last two seasons, but isn’t as high this season. City’s mid-season wobbles have seen them aim for Champions League qualification rather than a fifth successive title, although they have tentatively started to return to form in recent weeks.
Just three days after this Premier League clash, Arsenal travel to Newcastle United’s St James’ Park for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on February 5. Saliba had an unusually difficult evening against Alexander Isak in the first leg, as the Gunners were condemned to a 2-0 defeat.
With Arsenal having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United, they have ten days between matches while the fourth round is played on the second weekend of February. If he isn’t already, Saliba should be fit and available by the end of this mini-break.