William Saliba injury news: Mikel Arteta issues update on Arsenal's star center back

Premier League leaders Arsenal have lost yet another key player to injury, as William Saliba was not available for their trip to Chelsea (they drew 1-1 in a feisty London derby) and Gunners fans will be sweating on the latest injury news on their star French defender.

But the latest update from Mikel Arteta seems pretty positive.

With Gabriel already out, Saliba being injured was the last thing Arsenal fans would have wanted to see and Pro Soccer Talk spotted the French international with the Arsenal squad at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and he left with the team on the bus after the draw.

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Saliba played the full 90 minutes in Arsenal's 3-1 win against Bayern Munich on Wednesday and there were no talks of an injury for the center back.

But when Arsenal's team was announced on Sunday, Saliba was not in the squad. It was quite something that the Gunners managed to keep this news quiet. Arsenal confirmed that Saliba was missing due to "a knock in training" which is a massive blow.

William Saliba injury news, latest update from Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta said that Saliba was “uncomfortable in training” and added the following ahead of Arsenal’s clash against Brentford on Wednesday.

“He had a little niggle, so I think it’s going to be a matter of days, so let’s see if he’s able to be there tomorrow,” Arteta said. “The ankle one [earlier in the season] was really random, and a 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. This one as well, very bizarre, but hopefully it will be a matter of days.”

It seems like Saliba will be back soon, which is a huge relief for Arsenal.

Saliba being out was a blow against Chelsea and meant first-year Premier League center backs Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie would start together for the first time in the league, as Gabriel is still out injured.

Gabriel and Saliba are the best central defensive partnership in the Premier League, and probably the world, and it was a huge loss for Arsenal.

But they brought Mosquera and Hincapie in for this very reason and both have done really well when filling in this season and they did well as a new duo at in-form Chelsea, even if Arteta will be upset to not get three points after Chelsea played up a player for more than half the game.