Mikel Arteta provided injury updates on five Arsenal players following Sunday’s hard-fought win over Crystal Palace.
Arsenal picked up a big three points against Crystal Palace on Sunday, going four points clear at the top of the Premier League after defeats for Liverpool and Manchester City left in-form Bournemouth in second place.
Yet the match was somewhat disrupted by a number of injury problems, with William Saliba withdrawing at half time and Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori, and Declan Rice coming off early.
Though he wasn’t substituted, there was also concern about Gabriel Martinelli, who finished the game with a limp. Mikel Arteta gave updates on all five players in his post-match press conference.
“Well, the first one was Willy [Saliba] that obviously had to be out after the first half,” Arteta said. “Declan as well was struggling from the first half with a knock that he took, and who was the other one? Ricky [Calafiori] as well. So yeah, let’s see how that will go.”
As for Martinelli, Arteta was asked whether the winger was okay given he limped down the tunnel with the physios.
“Yeah, I think so,” the Arsenal boss responded. “We have to check that one. He was a bit uncomfortable. He said he felt something. We don’t know whether it’s a muscular issue or not. Tomorrow we’ll have more news.”
As for Saka, there had been concern ahead of the game given the player hadn’t been spotted in pre-match training photos. Combine that with his early withdrawal and there was certainly reason to believe he might have picked up a knock.
Arteta instead revealed that the winger has been unwell, explaining both the training absence and his early substitution.
“Yeah, he’s been ill,” Arteta said. “He hasn’t trained really. So we didn’t know whether he was going to be fit, so he made a big effort to be available today.
“The doctor was brilliant as well to guide us, to give us the best opportunity as well to be in the best possible condition. So he’s managed to play a few minutes, but the longer the game went he was going to fatigue and risk an injury. And we didn’t want to take that risk.”
One positive is that Arsenal now have a break from Premier League action for the League Cup game against Brighton and Hove Albion. Even though it’s a game against a top-flight opponent, you’d imagine Arteta will give most or all of the above players a rest.