Saliba Set to Miss Mansfield Trip as Arsenal Face Defensive Concerns

William Saliba looks set to miss our FA Cup trip to Mansfield on Saturday as he continues to battle an ankle injury picked up during the Chelsea victory.

The French defender was already ruled out of Wednesday’s impressive win over Brighton, with Cristhian Mosquera stepping in alongside Gabriel in what proved to be a solid defensive partnership. However, according to the Evening Standard, Saliba’s absence looks set to continue.

When Did the Injury Occur?

Saliba picked up the knock during our 2-1 victory over Chelsea, ironically the same match where he scored the opener in what was a commanding defensive display. The 24-year-old managed to complete the full 90 minutes but was clearly struggling by the final whistle.

“We thought the same straight after the game because he wasn’t comfortable to finish the game. After straightaway he didn’t have a good feeling so let’s see if he recovers quickly,” Arteta explained.

Crucially, Arteta confirmed this is a completely separate issue from the ankle problem that troubled Saliba earlier this season. “No, it’s the other one,” the manager clarified, ruling out any connection to his previous injury troubles.

Timing Concerns Ahead of Leverkusen

While Saliba would likely have been rested anyway for Saturday’s FA Cup tie against League One opposition, the timing raises concerns with our Champions League last-16 first leg against Bayer Leverkusen looming on Wednesday night.

This isn’t the first time ankle issues have disrupted Saliba’s season. He was forced off after just five minutes against Liverpool at Anfield in August following a warm-up injury, leading to a brief spell on the sidelines. In total, he’s missed six Premier League matches this season for various reasons.

Arteta also revealed that Mansfield’s pitch conditions could influence his team selection, particularly for players carrying injuries. “It can do, especially if there is a player who is carrying some injury. This can affect him in the wrong way, especially with certain muscles,” he noted.

With our defensive solidity being crucial to our title ambitions and Champions League hopes, getting Saliba back to full fitness quickly will be a priority. Mosquera’s composed performance against Brighton offers some reassurance, but we’ll need our first-choice centre-back partnership firing on all cylinders for the challenges ahead.

The race is now on to get Saliba fit for Germany – a match that could define our European campaign this season.