Mikel Arteta Excludes William Saliba from Arsenal Squad Against Forest

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has decided to omit defender William Saliba from the squad for the upcoming match against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium. This decision comes after Saliba was sidelined due to an injury sustained during the warm-up before Arsenal’s recent Premier League encounter with Liverpool.

Saliba withdrew from the French national team shortly after the injury, which was initially expected to keep him out for several weeks. In a pre-match press conference on March 15, 2024, Arteta indicated that Saliba had returned to training that morning, raising hopes of his participation in the 12:30 pm kick-off. Despite his involvement in training, Arteta opted for caution, stating, “He [William Saliba] trained yesterday, but at the end of the session he wasn’t fully ready to start the game,” as reported by TNT Sports.

The injury occurred just before Arsenal’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Liverpool, where Saliba began the match but had to exit early. Cristhian Mosquera, who joined Arsenal from Valencia during the summer transfer window, stepped in impressively during that match and has now been selected to start against Forest. This decision pushes Piero Hincapie, another recent signing from Bayer Leverkusen, to the bench.

Busy Schedule Ahead for Arsenal

The match against Forest marks the first following a two-week international break, and Arteta acknowledges the importance of squad rotation given the demanding schedule ahead. “The amount of games we play in the next 21 days is significant,” he noted. “It is finding that right balance by making sure everybody is connected.”

In another exciting development, Eberechi Eze will start for Arsenal after joining the club for a substantial fee of £67.5 million from Crystal Palace. Arteta expressed enthusiasm about the various attacking combinations available, stating, “There are different connections that the front three have not played together. They can change with different abilities and, in my opinion, that can be very powerful.”

Arteta also shared his thoughts on facing Forest and their new manager, Ange Postecoglou, who recently took over the role after a brief stint with Tottenham. “I’m sure Ange will bring his own things. It is going to be different for sure,” Arteta remarked.

As Arsenal prepares to face Forest, the team looks to capitalize on their strong squad depth while navigating a hectic fixture list. The decision regarding Saliba highlights the delicate balance between player fitness and team performance in the high-stakes atmosphere of the Premier League.