Mikel Arteta gives contrasting Arsenal injury updates on Saliba and Gabriel | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has offered contrasting updates on Arsenal’s two injured centre-backs, with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes both fighting to return from their current issues.

The Premier League leaders face Brentford on Wednesday evening, just 72 hours after a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Chelsea that kept them six points clear of the Blues.

Saliba travelled to Stamford Bridge with the squad for that clash but was then surprisingly left out of the starting line-up after it emerged he had picked up a knock in training.

The 24-year-old French international missed some time earlier this year with an ankle injury but in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday morning, Arteta was more hopeful about this issue, although conceded that being fit to face the Bees would be a race against time.

Initially Arteta tried to bat away questions asking for injury updates, saying: “I’m not going to be able to help you much today because we have another training session later on. Until that happens, we won’t know what’s going to happen with a few of the doubts that we have.”

But when pressed on Saliba, he revealed: “He had a niggle but I think it’s going to be a matter of days [until he returns]. So let’s see if he’s able to do that tomorrow. So a matter of days for William.

“The ankle one [earlier in the season], it was a really random and very unlucky action that kept him out for a few weeks. He tried at Anfield, he wasn’t comfortable and he had to stay away. And this one as well, very bizarre. But hopefully it will be a matter of days.”

open image in gallery

William Saliba is ‘a matter of days’ away from returning to the fold (PA Wire)

The news was slightly less positive on Saliba’s centre-back partner Gabriel, as the Brazilian battles a thigh injury he picked up on international duty last month, with a longer time-frame that may rule him out until after Christmas.

“Big Gabi,” said Arteta. “Gabi’s doing very well but that’s weeks as well.”

Against Chelsea, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie deputised in the heart of defence and may be pressed into similar service against Brentford.

Arteta’s squad are steadily starting to regain fitness after a slew of injury issues have tested their depth, with the boss confirming that Leandro Trossard is now just a “matter of days” away from returning, while Gabriel Jesus continues to build match sharpness after his long-term lay-off.

“The attitude towards it and the way the players are performing and giving absolutely everything they can to fulfil those absences has been the key of the season,” he added. “Because we have to deal with a lot already.”

Another long-term absentee, Kai Havertz, is also edging closer to being back in the fray, although not quite there yet.

“A matter of weeks for Kai,” confirmed Arteta. “I don’t know [if he will be back at the end of the month]. Let’s see how it works in the next few weeks. He’s doing really well. He’s doing stuff on the pitch but I think he needs some time.”

open image in gallery

Kai Havertz has been out since the opening weekend of the season (Getty Images)

And when asked whether he had been frustrated to lose Havertz as an attacking option, Arteta acknowledged the impact his return will have.

“He was doing everything,” said the Spaniard. “He could not go to the next level and now it’s looking like we have unlocked that. We’re all desperate to have him.

“I mean, it’s a player that, personally, I love so much for what he brings to the team, but his character, his personality, I see him suffer being outside.

“His playing a record is phenomenal, he’s been always available and I can’t wait to have him back around the team playing because I think it’s going to be a massive boost for the team.”