Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has issued updates on William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli's injuries ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Burnley.
The Gunners make the trek to Lancashire with a healthy four-point lead atop the rankings, thanks to their Eberechi Eze-inspired 1-0 triumph over Crystal Palacein gameweek nine of the 2025-26 season.
That derby win came at a major cost, though, as Saliba and Martinelli both sustained injuries alongside Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori, although the latter two were in the squad for the 2-0 EFL Cup fourth-round win over Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek.
However, Arsenal are understood to be the most concerned about Martinelli, who is feared to have suffered a muscular problem, while Saliba was taken off at half time in the win over Palace.
Speaking to reporters at Friday's pre-game press conference, Arteta confirmed that Martinelli would be absent for the clash with Burnley, but Saliba might be in with a chance of making the cut.
Mikel Arteta delivers Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba injury updates
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli pictured on August 17, 2025
"Martinelli is still out, Saliba we have to wait and see," the Spaniard said. "We have another training session this afternoon and the rest are still getting closer. I think in the right direction, but not available yet."
Asked how many games Martinelli could miss, Arteta kept his cards close to his chest, adding: "We don’t know yet, but I think this game is going to come too early for them."
Martinelli will therefore be one of five guaranteed absentees for Arsenal this weekend, as Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus are still working their way back from knee injuries.
Jesus - who has been sidelined since January with an ACL rupture - will not be back in the ranks anytime soon, but Arteta is optimistic of having Odegaard, Havertz and Madueke back against Tottenham Hotspur on November 23 following the international break.
"I would say weeks and some of them pretty soon, hopefully, if they keep evolving the way they are doing," he added. "It’s difficult to put a game.
"You know that we have the international break, which is a two-week break there, and after that I think we’ll have some back. I don’t know if it’s going to be all of them, some of them but we’ll be quite close by then."
How can Arsenal replace Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba against Burnley?
Arsenal's Leandro Trossard celebrates scoring on October 18, 2025
There was a time not that long ago where one injury to a key player could derail the entire Arsenal system, but the Gunners' significant summer investment means that Arteta is well-prepared for situations such as this.
Martinelli's loss is expected to be Leandro Trossard's gain at Turf Moor, where the Belgian attacker - who hit the post in midweek after coming off the bench - is set to make his sixth consecutive Premier League start.
Meanwhile, Cristhian Mosquera is first in line to deputise for Saliba, and the former Valencia man has been heralded for his composure and defensive awareness during his early days in red and white.
However, Arteta can also deploy one of Jurrien Timber or Ben White at centre-back with the other at right-back, but all signs are pointing towards Timber starting out wide and Mosquera operating alongside Gabriel Magalhaes on Saturday.
Arsenal head into their clash with Burnley having scored 11 of their 16 Premier League goals from dead-ball situations this season, but the"ridiculous, one-sided narrative" about the Gunners' set-pieceshas been shot down ahead of gameweek 10.
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