Without Saliba, Arsenal has conceded goals against Aston Villa from two crosses, giving up a 2-0 lead and losing ground to Liverpool in the Premier League title race.
Saliba had started 57 of Arsenal’s previous 58 Premier League matches, only sitting out October’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool due to suspension.
Arteta is expected to be without his defensive lynchpin for another two weeks, according to L’Equipe.
If the French publication’s timeline is accurate, Saliba will definitely miss Arsenal’s next three matches: their final league phase Champions League fixtures against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona on either side of a Premier League trip to struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Gunners begin February by hosting Manchester City on the first Sunday of the month.
That fixture has been a title decider in each of the past two seasons, but is not as lofty this term—City’s mid-season wobble has left them targeting Champions League qualification rather than a fifth consecutive title, although they have tentatively begun to return to form in recent weeks.
Just three days after that top-flight head-to-head, Arsenal travel to Newcastle United’s St James’ Park for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on 5 February. Saliba endured an uncharacteristically difficult evening up against Alexander Isak in the first leg, as the Gunners were met with a 2-0 defeat.
As Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United, they have a ten-day gap between fixtures while the fourth round is played out on the second weekend of February. If he isn’t already, it is expected that Saliba would be fit and available by the end of that mini-hiatus.
