William Saliba
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal have suffered a major setback with star defender William Saliba expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks after sustaining an ankle injury during their Premier League clash with Liverpool, according to L’Equipe.
The injury occurred in the warm-up ahead of Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Anfield on August 31, 2025. Despite twisting his left ankle, the 24-year-old Frenchman opted to start the match but lasted only five minutes before being forced off following an aerial challenge with Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike. He was replaced by summer signing Cristhian Mosquera, who impressed in his unexpected Premier League debut.
Speaking after the match, manager Mikel Arteta revealed: “He twisted his ankle during the warm-up, and he came in and said he believed he could carry on and play. But straight away in the first two actions, I could see that he couldn’t cope, and we had to get him out, unfortunately.”
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Post-match scans confirmed a Grade 1 or mild Grade 2 lateral ankle sprain, with a recovery timeline of around a month. Injury expert Stephen Smith, CEO of Kitman Labs, noted that Saliba’s sprain “didn’t appear to be significant” and suggested he could return as early as September 13 against Nottingham Forest, or more likely September 21 when Arsenal face title rivals Manchester City.
William Saliba against Hugo Ekitike
William Saliba suffered his ankle injury against Liverpoo (Image credit: Getty Images)
Saliba has since withdrawn from France’s squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland. Inter Milan defender Benjamin Pavard has been called up in his place, with the French Football Federation and Arsenal agreeing the decision was a precaution to ensure full recovery.
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His absence compounds Arsenal’s growing injury list early in the 2025/26 campaign. Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Kai Havertz (knee), Ben White, Christian Norgaard, and long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus are all currently sidelined. However, the emergence of Mosquera, who recorded four tackles and a 92% passing accuracy at Anfield, alongside the arrival of Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié on loan, gives Arteta fresh defensive options.
Arteta praised Mosquera’s display under difficult circumstances: “Thank God we have Mosquera. We put him in for the first time in the Premier League, his debut, not expecting it at Anfield, and I think he was really, really good.”
Despite the setback, there is optimism that Saliba will recover quickly. Arsenal now turn their focus to a busy September schedule, including their Champions League opener against Athletic Bilbao and a crucial league clash against Manchester City.
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