Mikel Arteta makes concerning Arsenal claim after William Saliba injury blow

Arsenal were made to sweat in the early stages of their clash with Liverpool after William Saliba’s enforced exit and it could potentially have a lasting impact on the Gunners

Mikel Arteta has admitted that injuries after becoming a problem for Arsenal again as they mount another challenge for the Premier League title. The Gunners have gone close in each of the last three campaigns.

But their pushes for silverware have been derailed late on due to a combination of a loss of form and injuries. And Arteta has admitted that it could be no different this campaign, with Arsenal having already lost a number of key players.

Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka are ruled out for the foreseeable future, while William Saliba became the latest to enter the treatment room having been taken off in the opening stages of Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

Speaking after full-time, Arsenal boss Arteta said: “I am very disappointed with the result. I’m very proud of my players. Both [sets of] players had to dig in to a level where there was nothing between the two. It was going to be decided by an individual error or a moment of magic.

“You cannot dominate here for 90 minutes, it is impossible. At the end of the game, I said we have to find a way to win these big matches.

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“You have to put the ball in the back of the net when you have it. We were much better than last year, much better. We have to put the ball in the back of the net if you want to win the game.

“We lost Martin [Odegaard], we lost Kai [Havertz] and then we lost Bukayo [Saka]. In the warm up we lost Saliba.”

Arteta gave an update on Saliba following the game and revealed exactly why he was withdrawn. He said: “He twisted his ankle during the warm-up.

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“He came in and he said he believed that he could carry on and play but straightaway in the first two actions I could see that he couldn’t cope and we had to get him out, unfortunately.

“But thank God we have Mosquera, which we put in for the first time in the Premier League, his debut, not expecting it at Anfield and I think he was really, really good.”

Arsenal now have a couple of weeks to ensure players can get back to full fitness, with the international break set to bring domestic action to a pause. The Gunners’ next game pits them against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium in two weeks’ time.

Arsenal head into the international break third in the Premier League table after three games, with two wins to their name.

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