Arsenal centre-back William Saliba is at risk of missing the visit of Manchester Metropolis early next month with a hamstring injury, according to a report.
The reliable defender was out of Saturday’s 2-2 home game against Aston Villa with a problem that Mikel Arteta cautiously described as “something muscular”.
Without their French prop at the heart of the defence, Arsenal conceded a pair of goals on two crosses aimed at the back area normally patrolled by Saliba, losing a 2-0 lead and losing ground to Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title. .
Saliba had started 57 of Arsenal’s previous 58 Premier League games, only missing October’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool due to suspension. Arteta is expected to be without his defensive lynchpin for another two weeks, according to The team.
If the French publication’s schedule is accurate, Saliba will definitely miss Arsenal’s next three games; their final Champions League league stage games against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona, either side of a Premier League trip to struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Gunners begin February by hosting Manchester Metropolis on the first Sunday of the month. That match has been decisive for the title in each of the last two seasons, but it is not as important this season. Metropolis’ mid-season wobble has left them aiming for Champions League qualification rather than a fifth successive title, although they have tentatively started to regain their form in recent weeks.
Just three days after that top-flight 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 night against Alexander Isak in the first leg, as the Gunners suffered a 2-0 defeat.
As Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United, they have a ten-day gap between matches, while the fourth round is played on the second weekend in February. If he isn’t already, Saliba should be fit and available at the end of that mini break.
