Mikel Arteta Voices Concerns Regarding William Saliba's Injury And Its Impact On Arsenal's Performance

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Mikel Arteta expressed significant concern over William Saliba's injury after the defender missed Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. The Gunners squandered a two-goal lead, allowing Liverpool to extend their lead at the top of the table by six points with a game in hand.

Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, Arsenal's defensive record has been notably better with Saliba on the field. They have conceded an average of 0.8 goals per Premier League match across 85 games when he plays, compared to 1.7 goals in 13 matches without him. Additionally, their win rate drops from 71.8% with him to just 38.5% without, earning only 1.5 points per game in his absence.

Arteta, who had mentioned before the Villa match that Saliba was out due to a minor issue, admitted uncertainty about the full extent of the Frenchman's injury. "I think [on Sunday] we will have more information, we will have another test on him, and we will be more clear about that," Arteta said.

The Gunners are already dealing with several injuries, including key players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. They were also missing Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, and Takehiro Tomiyasu for their recent match against Villa.

Arteta voiced his frustration over Arsenal's squad depth issues following Villa's comeback. He lamented not having enough options on the bench to respond effectively after Villa equalised.

Comparisons with Liverpool's Squad Depth

Arteta highlighted Liverpool's ability to make impactful substitutions during their win against Brentford earlier that day. "There are moments, and obviously they [Liverpool] managed to do that [win]," Arteta said. "They made the subs, and the subs made the impact and changed the game."

In contrast, Arteta noted that Arsenal struggled after conceding two quick goals due to physical exhaustion among players. This situation underscored his concerns about squad depth and player availability.

The ongoing injury challenges at Arsenal continue to affect their performance and strategy as they aim to keep pace with title contenders like Liverpool.