Mikel Arteta has ruled WIlliam Saliba out of Arsenal’s Friday Night Football clash with Southampton, saying the centre-back is making slow progress as he recovers from a back injury and hinting that he is still some way off match fitness.
The Frenchman has missed Arsenal’s last four games after picking up the problem in their Europa League tie with Sporting Lisbon, and it appears increasingly unlikely he will be available to face Manchester City in next week’s crucial title clash.
“Regarding William, we still have to wait a little bit more,” Arteta said at his press conference. “He’s not progressing as quick as we hoped.
“He is a bit delicate and we want to be very certain, when we push him, that he is ready to absorb the load and the rhythm we will take and at the moment that is not possible.
Asked if he could be out for the rest of the season, Arteta said: “I don’t know. It’s a bit early. Probably next week we are going to have more certainty.
“There is some evolution. He is doing some activity. But he is not there yet to start to throw him on the pitch at the level the sessions demand to compete in this league.”
Arsenal are also likely to be without Oleksandr Zinchenko against Southampton. The left-back missed the 2-2 draw with West Ham due to a muscular injury and has not yet returned to training.
Arteta said: “We will see on that one as well. We are not certain. It’s a muscular injury and it needs some time to heal. We’re not there yet.”
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