Konsa a doubt for Leeds as Arsenal sweat on two more knocks

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Ezri Konsa remains a doubt for Arsenal's Premier League meeting with Leeds United on Saturday as the defender continues to deal with a dead leg picked up on international duty.

The centre-back, who joined from Aston Villa late in the summer window, had started each of Arsenal's last three league games before the international break. He reported for England duty carrying a minor problem but still completed 90 minutes against both Spain and Croatia.

It was during the 7-0 win over Croatia that Konsa took another blow to the same quad, prompting his withdrawal from the squad ahead of England's final fixture against Czechia.

Tuchel plays down the severity

Thomas Tuchel explained the decision after Konsa left camp: "Unfortunately, he got another hit on the quad and that caused a light trauma and we decided not to let him play through this pain, so he left camp to get treatment for both his issues now. I think nothing major, but not worth the risk taking."

Even with that reassurance, The Standard report that Konsa is not certain to be fit in time for the Saturday lunchtime kick-off against Leeds.

Should he miss out, Mikel Arteta has cover available. Both Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera have been working on the training pitches at London Colney through the international break and would be the obvious candidates to step in alongside the existing back line.

White nearing a return, Havertz and Tzolis sidelined

There is positive news elsewhere, with Ben White closing in on a comeback after sitting out the fixtures against Ipswich Town and Brighton before the break.

The international window has not been kind in other areas, though. Kai Havertz was forced off with a hamstring problem in Germany's game against the Netherlands and returned to Arsenal immediately for tests. The full extent of the issue has not been made public, but Havertz is also expected to be a doubt for the visit of Leeds.

Christos Tzolis picked up an injury in the same international fixture and is expected to be out for roughly two to three weeks. That timeline would rule him out of the Leeds game, both Champions League fixtures against Lille and Bayern Munich, and the Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest on October 18.

Tzolis could be back in contention for the home match against Everton on October 24.

Arsenal's medical staff will have a handful of days to assess Konsa and Havertz before the squad is finalised, with the Leeds fixture opening up a demanding run that takes in European football and a packed October calendar.