William Saliba forced to 'modify his running' after ankle injury as Mikel Arteta reveals comeback date for Arsenal defender

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s clash against Wolves this weekend, Arteta explained that Saliba’s latest problem stems from an ankle injury sustained earlier in the season, one that forced him off barely four minutes into the defeat at Liverpool in August.

"It was something quite small," he said. "It came from an ankle injury that he had and then he started to modify the way he was running and he started to overload an area, which is something common. But at some point he was uncomfortable continuing to be able to train and play and we had to stop it. He looks better but we'll have to wait and see if it's enough for him to be able to train with the team."

On being pressed whether the defender will be available this weekend, Arteta said: "We have to wait and see. Yesterday we didn’t train, so we have an extra day between this afternoon, let’s see if he can be available or not. It remains the same. If you asked me for the Everton game, I think he will be fit; for tomorrow, I don’t know."

Arsenal have had to shuffle their defensive pack repeatedly this season, and Saliba’s absence has forced further improvisation. Cristhian Mosquera, now sidelined, and Jurrien Timber, who is also nursing a knock, have shared duties at the heart of the backline. 

Asked whether Timber could feature against Wolves, Arteta remained cautious: "Depends how he feels today. It was a knock that he picked, and he wasn’t feeling comfortable. So again, I think it’s a matter of days, but whether it’s tomorrow or not we’ll see."

Despite the defensive uncertainty, Arsenal responded emphatically in midweek, brushing aside Club Brugge 3-0 in the Champions League to make it six wins from six in Europe. Now, Arteta stressed that the week-long gap after the Wolves fixture will give his squad a rare opportunity to reset.

He said: "Well, three things. Make sure that we can give some rest to players, mentally and physically. Then start to re-activate everybody and start to work on things that you don't have time to work on. Then start to be in the best possible physical and emotional mindset to do what is required to be ready.

"We’re in a very strong position in the three competitions that we’ve been involved in so far, and that’s what we have to continue to do at the end. The credit has to come at the end of the season, that’s when we’re going to measure what we’ve done, but in order to achieve that, you have to be achieving, every single day, the objectives that you want. So far, I think we are in a very strong position."

One major boost for the Gunners this week has been the return of Gabriel Jesus, who played his first minutes in 11 months after recovering from a torn ACL. The Brazilian came off the bench in Bruges and, despite limited time on the pitch, he showed flashes of brilliance and even hit the woodwork.

"We know his quality, a player who has given us so much and he comes with the energy that came the other day," he said. "He’s certainly a player who has to be pushing and aiming for that, that’s for sure."

When asked if he would sell the Brazilian, the manager slammed shut the proposal. "I don't consider that, especially with the situation that we have right now," he said. "I think Gabriel has a lot to offer to the team and he's proven that straightaway in the first minute that he was available to play he's put so much to be in this position again and now the focus is to be with us."

Wednesday’s comfortable win in Bruges restored confidence after the Villa defeat and extended Arsenal’s flawless European record. Now the focus returns to the Premier League, where a meeting with bottom-placed Wolves offers an opportunity to consolidate their lead at the top.

With Wolves languishing on just two points and suffering a club-record run of eight straight defeats, anything other than an Arsenal victory would disappoint the fans. However, Arteta does not want any complacency. 

"In any Premier League match and especially against a team that is fighting against results, I know the manager really well and how he’s going to push and get the players ready to [try to cause a shock]. From our side, we’re going to go full gas from the beginning and we know what we have to do," he said. 

"Well, showing them [our players] the team that they are, the game they had against Villa a few weeks ago, and understand that a team in that position have to react and have to show their teeth, and that’s a very dangerous thing, especially in this league when every team has the quality that they have. So from our side, that’s not going to happen."