Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provides crucial William Saliba injury update ahead of Chelsea clash
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided an update on defender William Saliba's injury ahead of their clash against Chelsea on May 2.
The two rivals are set to face off in a London derby at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Tuesday. The Gunners, though, will be without Saliba against Chelsea. In the pre-match press conference, Arteta said (via 90min):
"He's not going to be involved tomorrow. We will have to wait until the next game to see where we are."
Saliba, 22, has been a key part of Arsenal's defense since his return from a loan spell at Olympique Marseille last summer. He has helped the Gunners keep 13 clean sheets in 34 games across all competitions.
The Frenchman suffered a back injury during the north London side's UEFA Europa League quarter-final second-leg clash against Sporting CP. Saliba has since missed six games and Arsenal have failed to win four of them.
They drew against Liverpool, West Ham United, and Southampton before losing against Premier League title rivals Manchester City. Rob Holding, who replaced Saliba, has been criticized for his performances.
The Gunners will hope to put in a better defensive performance against Chelsea, who have scored just one goal in their previous seven games across competitions.
Arsenal's Mikel Arteta on what he expects from Chelsea
While the Gunners are engaged in the title race, Chelsea have had a miserable season. They are currently 12th in the league table and have sacked two managers this campaign. The Blues have also lost all five games under caretaker manager Frank Lampard.
When asked what he expects from the west London side on Tuesday, Arsenal manager Arteta pointed out their flexibility and unpredictability. He said (via Arsenal.com):
"They are going to try to come to the Emirates to beat us. They have a great manager and exceptional players, so it is very difficult to predict what they will do because they can play in various ways with different players and different qualities as well. We are going to prepare for the game to win it, that’s it."
Chelsea have scored just 30 goals in 32 Premier League games this season and look unlikely to reach the European qualification spots. However, they will look to turn their form around against the Gunners at the Emirates.
The reverse fixture ended in a 1-0 win for the north London side with Gabriel Magalhaes scoring the goal.