Mikel Arteta has admitted that William Saliba’s injury setback has forced him to consider a new role for Declan Rice. Saliba missed Saturday’s disappointing 2-2 draw against Aston Villa after he pulled up during the closing stages of last week’s north London derby win over Tottenham.

Mikel Arteta says that Arsenal defender William Saliba is “evolving well” after sustaining a muscular injury last week but will miss his side’s Champions League game against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta considering surprise Arsenal position change after William Saliba injury - Gunners down to bare bones of defensive options after setbacks

Mikel Arteta has been told he made a ‘big mistake’ with injured Arsenal defender William Saliba. Saliba has been a key member of Arteta’s squad over the past three seasons, making over 100 appearances for the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta has admitted he is "very worried" about William Saliba's injury after the Arsenal defender missed Saturday's 2-2 draw against Aston Villa on Saturday.

Nwaneri’s return is timely given Arsenal are light on options in attack. The 17-year-old scored in back-to-back games before his injury, emerging as an option on the right flank in the absence of Bukayo Saka. “It was a big setback because he (Nwaneri) was getting some consistency and more minutes,” said Arteta.

Mikel Arteta's defensive woes are set to deepen with the anticipated absence of star defender William Saliba for the next fortnight, forcing a reshuffle in his backline. This comes at a crucial juncture for the Gunners as they strive to keep pace with Premier League leaders Liverpool and secure a direct entry into the Champions League group stage.

Mikel Arteta says William Saliba was ruled out of Arsenal’s Premier League fixture against Aston Villa due to a muscular injury. Saliba, 23, was missing from the matchday squad for Saturday’s 2-2 draw,

He was not even in the squad after suffering a hamstring injury in the 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in midweek. Read more at straitstimes.com.

William Saliba missed Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa because of a hamstring injury and Mikel Arteta provided a concerning update on his star defender post-match