Mikel Arteta already has the perfect answer to William Saliba injury woes as unlikely Arsenal duo emerges

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Arsenal’s poor luck on the injury front was a talking point in the Gunners’ win over Newcastle United.

Mikel Arteta noted Arsenal’s woeful injury record as a contributing factor to his side not winning silverware over the 2024/25 campaign. 

It’s been a rarity that Arteta has had his full Arsenal squad available to him this season, as pressures on the sidelines increased against Newcastle. 

Arsenal beat Newcastle 1-0 to finally get a win over the Magpies, but the afternoon was overshadowed by William Saliba’s injury. 

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Mikel Arteta shares William Saliba injury update

After Saliba didn’t emerge for the second half, Arteta did something for the first time in 203 days, playing without his favoured central defensive duo.

It’s been months since Arsenal lined up without either Gabriel Magalhaes or Saliba, as the Gunners were forced to make a half-time change against the Magpies.

After the game, Arteta confirmed that Saliba had sustained a hamstring injury.

“The first one because of an injury to Wilo, I think he felt something in his hamstring in the first half, unfortunately, so we had to make the substitution.”

Hamstring injuries have been a plague on Arsenal’s season, with Kai Havertz, Gabriel and Bukayo Saka all undergoing surgery on tears.

With a crucial pre-season ahead, the Gunners will be desperate to learn good news regarding the Frenchman’s fitness, which will almost certainly mean resting him for the final-day trip to St Mary’s.

Jakub Kiwior and Riccardo Calafiori were flawless against Newcastle

Arsenal’s record without Saliba doesn’t make for encouraging reading, but after the Newcastle win, Arteta will not panic about who could replace the 24-year-old.

Jakub Kiwior was sublime against the Magpies, as he continues to fill in for Gabriel expertly.

What happened next was quite the revelation, as Riccardo Calafiori slotted in alongside the Poland international, a switch that changed the dynamic of the game. 

Calafiori was brilliant against Newcastle in his 45-minute cameo, bringing a new energy to the left side of Arsenal’s central defence.

Given how well the pair performed against a very intricate Newcastle side, Arteta will be relieved that if he needs to, he can rest Saliba with no qualms against Southampton. 

If Arsenal fans had been made aware of how impressive Kiwior and Calafiori would be in central defence earlier in the season, many would’ve been shocked, but in fact, the duo have been a breath of fresh air for Arteta.

Against the struggling Saints, Kiwior and Calafiori could present the manager with an alternative to Saliba, whose season should end to prevent any aggravation to his hamstring.