01 April 2023 , 08:44
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Arsenal will be without William Saliba for Saturday's visit of Leeds due to a back issue.
Saliba started all of Arsenal's first 27 Premier League games this season before sustaining an injury during their Europa League defeat to Sporting Lisbon earlier this month. The Frenchman missed the 4-1 win against Crystal Palace last time out and remains in the treatment room, despite a two-week international break.
Saliba's continued absence is a blow to manager Mikel Arteta, although Premier League leaders Arsenal should still have enough quality to beat relegation candidates Leeds. The Gunners boss is set to name a strong starting XI at the Emirates.
Aaron Ramsdale will continue in goal, as expected. The big problem for Arteta is finding a replacement for Saliba, with Takehiro Tomiyasu ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Rob Holding is likely to partner Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back.
"He is progressing," Arteta told reporters when asked about Saliba's fitness. "He still has some discomfort in his back. We are trying to manage him in the best possible way, but unfortunately, he’s not going to be fit for his game. We are trying – he’s trying to do everything to feel better and get back into training, but not yet."
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Kieran Tierney has recovered from a calf issue, but Oleksandr Zinchenko is likely to continue at left-back. Ben White is set to play against his former club at right-back.
William Saliba is still nursing a back injury (Getty Images)Who do you think Arsenal should play against Leeds on Saturday? Let us know in the comments below!
Thomas Partey is back in training after sitting out Ghana's game against Angola this week. Arteta hopes the midfielder will start against Leeds, with Granit Xhaka and captain Martin Odegaard playing alongside him. If Partey is not fit enough, Jorginho is available.
Odegaard was on the receiving end of a crude tackle from Manchester City midfielder Rodri during the international break but is not injured. Arteta explained. "These things happen in football when they play against each other. But the rest of them are all good."
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli seem certain to start against Leeds, but Arteta will need to choose from an in-form Leandro Trossard and a fit-again Gabriel Jesus. Trossard has been an inspired January signing from Brighton and is likely to start on Saturday. Eddie Nketiah is still nursing an ankle issue, but could be fit enough for the bench.
Arsenal's predicted line-up against Leeds"He's very close to that," said Arteta when asked about Jesus' fitness. "In the last 10 days he’s made a big step forward and you can see that he is looser and he is not thinking about [his previous injury]. You can see in training that he is already creating that chaos and unique moments that he is capable of, so he is in a good place now."
Leeds, meanwhile, will be without Wilfried Gnonto after he picked up an injury during Italy's win against Malta. Captain Liam Cooper is fit again and played in Scotland's win against Spain, but Tyler Adams may not play again this season following hamstring surgery.
Arsenal's predicted XI vs Leeds: Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, Rob Holding, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, Martin Odegaard; Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli.