EPL: Saliba, Trossard, Mosquera Doubtful for Arsenal’s Trip to Villa, Says Arteta

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has revealed that the club will head into their Premier League clash against Aston Villa with significant injury concerns, as defenders William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera, and forward Leandro Trossard are all listed as doubtful.

The trio’s final availability will be determined after Arsenal’s upcoming training sessions, leaving the Gunners in a state of uncertainty ahead of a pivotal fixture in the title race Mosquera, who was forced to leave the field during Arsenal’s recent victory over Brentford, faces a more complicated injury situation. Arteta indicated that assessing his fitness is a delicate matter and hinted that the defender might not be ready in time for the Villa game. Saliba and Trossard, meanwhile, are showing signs of recovery and could return within the next few days, but Arteta cautioned that nothing is certain until the players complete full training sessions. This latest development comes at a critical time for Arsenal, who are already grappling with a defensive crisis. First-choice centre-back Gabriel Magalhães is sidelined, and if Mosquera or Saliba are unavailable, Arteta may be forced to rely on backup defenders, including Ben White, Jurrien Timber, or Riccardo Calafiori. Such adjustments could significantly impact Arsenal’s defensive stability, especially against a Villa side that has been showing resilience and attacking threat in recent matches. The potential absence of Trossard further complicates matters for Arteta. The Belgian forward has been instrumental in providing creativity and width on the wing, and without him, Arsenal may find it harder to break down Villa’s defense. Arteta has stressed the importance of managing player fitness carefully, particularly given the congested schedule the club is facing this season. The manager admitted that recovery between matches is crucial and acknowledged that injuries to key players are testing the depth and flexibility of the squad. Despite these challenges, Arsenal remain focused on maintaining their position at the top of the Premier League table. The Villa match is a crucial test in their campaign, with any dropped points potentially tightening the title race. Arteta’s ability to adapt tactically, rotate the squad effectively, and integrate backup players into key roles could prove decisive in determining the outcome of this fixture. Fans will be watching closely to see whether Saliba, Mosquera, and Trossard can recover in time, and the final team sheet will likely offer a clearer picture of how Arteta plans to navigate these injury concerns. For now, Arsenal must prepare to face Aston Villa with a potentially weakened lineup, testing the resilience and depth of a squad aiming for Premier League glory.