Arsenal will be without key defenders William Saliba and Oleksandr Zinchenko for the title climax. The Gunners have three matches left to overhaul current leaders Manchester City, who have a one point advantage plus a game in hand.
Kieran Tierney is expected to deputise in Zinchenko’s absence. Saliba has been missing since mid-March after sustaining a painful injury to his lower back in the defeat to Sporting Lisbon.
But Mikel Arteta’s side will go into the games without first-choice defenders Saliba and Zinchenko. Left-back Zinchenko injured a calf in Sunday’s win at Newcastle and there isn’t enough time for the former Manchester City star to recover in time to feature in the remaining matches.
Mail Sport reported on April 16 that Saliba was struggling to play again this season due to serious ‘structural damage’ to his lower back. Saliba has been desperate to play again, and the club have given him every opportunity to do so.
Indeed, the close nature of the title race was one of the key reasons why it has taken until now to make a final decision on Saliba’s availability – even though medics feared he would miss the rest of the season when he suffered the injury eight weeks ago.
However, playing would have provided a significant risk of compounding the injury and a decision has been made to rule him of the final matches. The news comes as a blow to Arteta, whose side still believe that they can pip City to the title.
