Arsenal is gearing up for their fourth consecutive Premier League win as they prepare to face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, but they will be without center-back William Saliba due to illness. Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed the news, stating, “This morning Wilo wasn’t feeling good so he’s ill. He’s at home, just short-term.” This unexpected absence means Saliba will be replaced by Cristhian Mosquera in the starting lineup.
In addition to Saliba’s situation, Arteta provided an update on Kai Havertz, who experienced discomfort following the recent match against Sunderland. The extent of Havertz’s injury is still being evaluated. The 24-year-old Saliba has been a vital part of the team’s defense, starting 10 consecutive league games since recovering from an earlier injury.
Saliba is one of four changes being made to the squad that triumphed over Sunderland, with Piero Hincapie, Viktor Gyokeres, and Eberechi Eze also included in the starting lineup. Eze, who is making his 13th start this season, has been praised by Arteta for his contributions: “He’s played a lot of games, obviously, and he has the qualities to decide a game against any opponent. He’s had more minutes recently and he deserves to play.”
There is a glimmer of optimism for Arsenal as both captain Martin Odegaard and star player Bukayo Saka are back in contention after overcoming their respective injuries, ready to take their places on the bench.
As Arsenal aims to solidify their lead at the top of the Premier League, they are aware of Manchester City closing in after their recent victory over Fulham. With the stakes high, the Gunners are determined to rise to the occasion against Brentford and extend their lead to six points.