Arsenal fans were left surprised when William Saliba was missing from the squad in their recent 2-2 draw against Aston Villa.
The influential defender’s absence was felt as the Gunners surrendered a two-goal lead, falling further behind in the Premier League title race.
Manager Mikel Arteta admitted after the match that he was “worried” about Saliba’s condition, adding to concerns among supporters.
However, there is now a clearer picture of how long the Frenchman will be out. According to reports from France (via L’Equipe), Saliba’s hamstring injury is not as serious as first feared.
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When will Saliba return and which matches will he miss for Arsenal?
He is expected to be sidelined for about two weeks, meaning he could miss up to five matches in total.
Saliba has already missed the clash against Aston Villa and will not feature in Arsenal’s Champions League game against Dinamo Zagreb.
He is also set to miss Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Wolves, followed by another Champions League tie against Girona next week.
The biggest worry for Arsenal fans is whether he will be fit for the crucial showdown against Manchester City on February 2.
Reports suggest it will be a tight race, but he should be fully recovered in time for the EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Newcastle United.
Before this setback, Saliba had only missed one league match this season, which was due to suspension. His importance to the team is clear, with the defender contributing seven goals and two assists in his 113 appearances for Arsenal.
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Injuries continue to trouble Mikel Arteta and Arsenal
While Saliba’s injury is not too serious, Arsenal’s squad is still struggling with several other fitness issues. Bukayo Saka is expected to be out until at least March, and key defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also sidelined.
There is some hope that Riccardo Calafiori could return soon, but Arteta remains tight-lipped about his fitness. Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus’ season is already over due to an ACL injury, adding to Arsenal’s woes.
