BREAKING: Mikel Arteta finally releases official statement on William Saliba injury ahead of Aston Villa clash
BREAKING: Mikel Arteta finally releases official statement on William Saliba injury ahead of Aston Villa clash
William Saliba appears to be an injury doubt for Arsenal’s Premier League match against Aston Villa on Saturday.
The France international was seen pulling up with a suspected hamstring issue in the closing stages of Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.
Concerns were raised on Friday when Saliba was not on the pitch alongside his teammates for Arsenal’s final first-team training session before their match against Villa.
When asked for an injury update on his squad on Friday, Mikel Arteta said: ‘We have a few decisions to make this afternoon with the medical staff to understand whether they are in the best condition for this game or the next one, so we’ll decide that.’
Jakub Kiwior took part in Arsenal’s training session on Friday and he could now start alongside Gabriel for the game against Villa if Saliba is ruled out.
Arsenal’s defensive options are already depleted with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu both sidelined, while Riccardo Calafiori is not expected to return after being left out of the matchday squad for the win over Tottenham.
Meanwhile, Myles Lewis-Skelly, who came through Arsenal’s academy as a central midfielder, could continue at left-back following his impressive display against Spurs this week.
‘When I saw him, to give him a chance and with the project that we had in the academy the moment that I saw him, the only way I could think was to change his position,’ Arteta said of playing Lewis-Skelly at left-back.
‘I spoke to him and said I think this is where you’re going to have it, because I think it fits a lot of his qualities, the way that we play and it fits because we had necessities in the position, so we started to work on that. He got into it straight away with the personality that he has. I think it’s very obvious and now he’s doing it.’
Arsenal are currently four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who travel to Brentford on Saturday afternoon.
Villa, meanwhile, remain in contention for a top-four finish as Unai Emery’s side sit seventh in the Premier League and three points behind fourth-placed Newcastle.
