William Saliba was taken off at half-time of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace.
Before the game, there were some fitness concerns about Gabriel Magalhaes; however, the Brazilian gave the green light to start.
That didn’t mean there were no problems in Arsenal’s back four, as at half-time, Saliba did not emerge from the tunnel, instead being replaced by Cristhian Mosquera.
Fans questioned whether Saliba was hooked due to injury or for tactical reasons, as Jean-Philippe Mateta really tested his international teammate.
It has now been confirmed that Saliba was indeed substituted due to injury.
The news was confirmed by Mikel Arteta, who said the following in his post-match press conference:
“The first one [injury] was Willy, he was out from a knock that he took.”
Saliba was heavily involved against Crystal Palace
Before going off, the ball was stuck to Saliba like a magnet, as in the first half, the Frenchman recorded as many as 78 touches.
| William Saliba vs Crystal Palace |
| 96% pass success |
| 78 touches |
| 100% long balls |
| 100% ground duels won |
No player on the pitch completed more passes in the first half than the 24-year-old, who completed 71, maintaining a pass success rate of 96%.
It was an eventful outing for Saliba, despite being substituted early, with all eyes on how the defender responds.
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