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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed why William Saliba was missing from the matchday squad for the 1-0 win over Brighton.
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Speaking before the match, Arteta confirmed that the defender had suffered a major knock in his last appearance during the London derby:
“He turned his ankle against Chelsea. He managed to finish the game somehow, but he was too sore to play today.”
Cristhian Mosquera was selected to start in place of Saliba at the Amex on Wednesday evening.
Will Saliba be back in contention this weekend?
It is very unlikely that the 24-year-old will play against Mansfield Town in the fifth round of the FA Cup. If it had been a league game, there would have been a bigger dilemma.
However, with the Gunners playing lower league opposition, you can’t see Saliba being risked, even though a cup tie away from home is a potential banana skin. Buy an AFC Classic FA Cup t-shirt from Redbubble here.
Mosquera is likely to deputise for the France international once more when Arteta’s men play on Saturday lunchtime.
Latest Arsenal injury news
Captain Martin Odegaard is still not 100% fit due to an issue with his knee. The Norwegian international has now missed the last two games, having last made an appearance off the bench against Tottenham.
Ben White’s injury remains a bit of a mystery. The defender has not featured since being named on the substitutes bench against Wolves last month, and Arteta has said that the defender is “not available”, with no additional details being provided. The 28-year-old has only started 5 league games this season.
Mikel Merino is not expected to return before the end of the campaign. The midfielder underwent surgery on a stress fracture in his foot, and he could spend up to five months on the sidelines.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here