William Saliba is set to be ruled out of Arsenal's trip to Liverpool in a huge blow to the Gunners' Premier League title hopes.
Saliba is struggling with a back injury he picked up during the defeat to Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League. The Frenchman has since been unable to train for the past fortnight, with Rob Holding stepping into the starting line-up in his place.
The Gunners have won both games without Saliba, though they have been against strugglers Crystal Palace and Leeds. The trip to Anfield will be much more difficult though, especially with Liverpool looking for a reaction to their chastening defeat at Manchester City.
And it has been made even more difficult, with Saliba forced to watch that game on from the stands according to The Sun. Boss Mikel Arteta is refusing to take any risks and will keep Saliba on the sidelines until he is fully fit.
The 22-year-old sustained the issue when he landed awkwardly after contesting a header against Sporting. He was subsequently forced off midway through the first-half, as Arsenal lost on penalties.
Before suffering the injury, the Frenchman had started every one of Arsenal's Premier League games. He has formed an impressive partnership in central defence with Gabriel, helping the Gunners to keep 12 clean sheets.
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In his place, Holding will again step in to partner Gabriel, having impressed in the wins over Palace and Leeds. The Gunners are hoping to win away at Anfield in the Premier League for the first time since September 2012.
Since then, they have managed just one point in nine visits to Merseyside, conceding 34 goals in the process. Before the win over Leeds, Arteta had been hopeful that Saliba would soon return, though the clash with Liverpool appears to have come too soon.
"He is progressing. He still has some discomfort in his back. We are trying to manage him in the best possible way. We are trying – he’s trying to do everything to feel better and get back into training, but not yet," Arteta said before the clash with the Whites.
"I’m very hopeful and he is as well. Back injuries are a bit tricky with how they evolve and the load that you put in certain areas, but he’s very positive about it. The medical staff are positive about it.
"Let’s push it every day a little bit and see how he can cope with that, and how the pain develops as well. He’s obviously so willing to be back with the team. I want to be positive and think that he is going to be able to [manage it].
"But I don’t have the answer today to answer 100 per cent that is going to be the case. Rob [Holding] has huge experience at this club and in the Premier League. I think he proved that in the right way in the last game against Crystal Palace."
