Arteta Finally Speaks Out: The Truth Behind Saliba's Devastating Injury

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta downplayed concerns over William Saliba's injury situation while confirming the club expects to have clearer information by Monday's end, after the tall French center-back was unable to feature in Sunday's 1–1 stalemate against Chelsea.

Saliba was ruled out of the top-of-the-table encounter at Stamford Bridge following a training ground issue that left him sidelined.

This absence meant he joined regular defensive partner Gabriel on the treatment table, forcing Arteta to hastily deploy summer acquisitions Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié as his central defensive pairing. The absence of both aerially strong first-choice center-backs may have contributed to Arsenal conceding the opening goal from a dead-ball situation. This marked just Hincapié's second Premier League appearance and Mosquera's third outing in the competition.

Supporters anxiously await news on Saliba's potential comeback, with Arteta stating post-match at Stamford Bridge that Gabriel remains "several weeks away" from full fitness.

The Arsenal chief doesn't expect major complications to emerge, though it's crucial for the club's medical team to properly assess the situation to expedite the Frenchman's return, especially with the demanding winter schedule approaching.

"He's scheduled for another examination [on Monday] to determine the full scope of that discomfort—that sensation he experienced—and we'll have more clarity then," Arteta told the media regarding Saliba's condition.

"During [Saturday's] training session, he felt uncomfortable, so we need to investigate further what occurred. I don't believe it's anything serious, but significant enough to rule him out of today's match."

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There's optimism that Saliba could return to action fairly soon, though Gabriel's projected comeback is late December. The Brazilian defender could miss seven or eight additional matches—he's already sat out three games since sustaining a thigh injury during international duty in mid-November.