Arsenal are facing a challenging period with four key players set to miss their upcoming Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest. The team's injury woes have been compounded by the uncertainty surrounding the severity of William Saliba's injury, who has been an influential figure in the centre-back position.
Saliba twisted his ankle during Arsenal’s warm-up ahead of their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool a week last Sunday. As a result, he had to be replaced by Cristhian Mosquera. This unfortunate incident led to his exclusion from the France squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland.
According to reports, Saliba could potentially face up to a month on the sidelines. If these claims hold true, then Saliba will most certainly miss out on the game against Nottingham Forest this weekend as Ange Postecoglou faces his first game in charge.
Other absentees
Saliba isn't alone in missing out for Arsenal; Bukayo Saka is also set for some time off after damaging his hamstring in last month's victory over Leeds United. While surgery isn't required, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Saka would be absent for several weeks and was not included in England's squad that faced Andorra and Serbia.
There are hopes that Saka could recover in time for Manchester City's visit but it seems likely he'll also sit out during the clash with Forest.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are two more names added to Arsenal’s growing list of injured players who will miss Premier League games due to hamstring and knee injuries respectively. Both players are still some way off from making a return.
Potential returns
Despite these setbacks, there may be some good news on the horizon as Ben White and Christian Norgaard might make their return into contention for this weekend’s game at the Emirates. Their return could provide a much-needed boost to the team's morale and performance.
Injuries are an unfortunate part of football, and Arsenal is no exception. The upcoming game against Nottingham Forest will be a test of the team's depth and resilience. With key players like Saliba, Saka, Havertz, and Jesus out injured, it will be interesting to see how manager Mikel Arteta reshuffles his squad to maintain their competitive edge.
