Arsenal given William Saliba injury timeline ahead of Man City clash and Champions League return

William Saliba will miss three to four weeks of matches for Arsenal due to his latest injury, a report from France claims. The central defender had started the new campaign brightly as he played the entirety of Arsenal's two opening Premier League fixtures; they resulted in victories over Manchester United and Leeds United with Mikel Arteta's side keeping clean sheets in both.

However, Saliba was a casualty in the fifth minute of the Gunners' only defeat before September's international break against Liverpool at Anfield.

The 24-year-old came into contact with fellow Frenchman Hugo Ekitike and he immediately went to ground, indicating there was a problem with his foot. He limped off the field and subsequently went down the tunnel.

Afterwards, Arteta revealed: "He twisted his ankle during the warm-up, and he came in and he said he believed that he could carry on and play but he strayed away in the first two actions.

"I could see that he couldn't cope and we had to get him out, unfortunately."

Now that decision by the manager appears as if it could have been costly as L'Equipe say Saliba's issue is going to keep him out for the next three to four weeks.

There is even a risk that he misses October's international break, which is dated between Monday, October 6, and Friday, October 17.

If accurate, it means Arsenal will be without their central defender for seven matches between this international break and the next. It marks an extremely busy period, too - as their Champions League and Carabao Cup charges get underway.

First, Arteta's men host Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium (September 13) before they travel for their first European fixture of the season against Athletic Club (September 16). Following on is another major Premier League clash at home to Manchester City (September 21), before the Gunners travel again for the Carabao Cup third round meeting with Port Vale (September 24).

There are two more league fixtures, one away to Newcastle United (September 28) and one at home to West Ham United (October 4) - while sandwiched between the two is Olympiacos' visit to the Emirates Stadium (October 1) in the second round of Champions League games.

So far, Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori have been the only ever-presents alongside Saliba in Arteta's line-ups this season. Jurrien Timber replaced Ben White for the Leeds match and kept his place at Anfield - because the Englishman was injured.

Saliba was subsituted for summer signing Cristhian Mosquera at Anfield - with Arteta saying: "Thanks God we have Mosquera, which we put in for the first time in the Premier League, his debut, not expecting it at Anfield and I think he was really, really good."

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