Playing through pain: Arsenal starter has been carrying injury for 5+ games
According to a report, William Saliba had been dealing with his recent toe injury prior to Arsenal’s match against Tottenham Hotspur.
William Saliba withdrew from international duty last Sunday due to a toe injury, despite being initially selected by Didier Deschamps for the French national team.
However, it appears that this injury was not a recent occurrence.
According to Saber Desfarges from the French outlet Telefoot, Saliba required an injection to alleviate the pain and enable him to play against Manchester City.
The football insider Team News and Ticks further reports that Saliba had been dealing with this injury for some time, having initially suffered it before the match against Tottenham Hotspur and making it worse during that fixture.
Although Team News and Ticks couldn’t confirm whether Saliba played with an injection last Sunday, the positive aspect is that they mentioned it should not pose a long-term concern.
The most recent Arsenal injury updates and news suggest that according to Deschamps, Saliba is dealing with a chronic problem that causes him “significant pain” and has not shown improvement.
Consequently, he decided to withdraw from the French camp in order to undergo a specific rehabilitation program.
Saliba has missed just one of the last five games, the League Cup match immediately following the north London derby.
However, all sources seem to concur that he has been managing some form of injury, and the international break has come at an opportune time to address and resolve this issue.
France does indeed have a significant Euro 2024 qualifier during the international break, where they will compete against the Netherlands, with the potential to secure qualification with a victory.
However, their other match is a friendly against Scotland, and Saliba has openly acknowledged that he is not currently a part of France’s first-choice lineup.
Opting out of the international break to prioritize his long-term fitness appears to be a wise decision on Saliba’s part.
Playing through pain: Arsenal starter has been carrying injury for 5+ games