Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that defender William Saliba will be ready for the team’s upcoming match against Manchester City on February 2nd.
Arsenal has sorely missed Saliba’s presence, falling six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, after a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium last Saturday.
Arteta stated that Saliba, who will miss the Champions League clash against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday, will be fit and available for the crucial match against Manchester City in 12 days.
“Yes, Saliba will be ready for the Manchester City match, I hope so,” Arteta said in remarks highlighted by British news agency PA Media during a press conference on Tuesday.
The Arsenal manager added, “He is recovering well and has felt a significant improvement in his condition recently.”
Arteta will also receive an additional morale boost after having to rely on three youth players on the bench against Aston Villa. The return of Ethan Nwaneri and Ricardo Calafiori to the squad for the Dinamo Zagreb match, following their recovery from various injuries, will strengthen the team.
“It’s very positive news. We have missed this duo for a few weeks, but they are back in training and will be ready for tomorrow’s game,” Arteta remarked.
A victory for Arsenal over Dinamo Zagreb, managed by Italian Fabio Cannavaro, will ensure the London club finishes among the top eight in their Champions League group, guaranteeing direct qualification to the Round of 16 and avoiding two extra playoff matches.
Arsenal currently sits third in their Champions League group, with four wins, one draw, and one loss.