Arsenal
Deschamps soothes Saliba concern but Arsenal must weigh World Cup risk
Deschamps says Saliba ‘is fine’ and will be managed; Arsenal face possible post-World Cup risk ahead
France manager Didier Deschamps moved quickly to calm concerns over William Saliba after an injury scare, telling reporters ahead of his side’s friendly with Côte d’Ivoire that the defender “is fine” and “would have played” if required.
“William is fine and will be managed,” the typically blunt tactician shrugged. “If he had needed to play tomorrow, he would have played. I will manage the six players involved in the Champions League, even more so those who started, given what lies ahead.” The repeated use of the word manage underlines that the issue will be treated with caution, even as reliable outlets have reported discomfort in Saliba’s back.
That reassurance will be welcome in France but it leaves Arsenal uneasy. Saliba has a recent history of playing through ankle and muscular issues to help his club through a long run-in. Now 25, he was only 17 when France won the 2018 World Cup and had not yet broken through as a starter. His sole appearance in Qatar was a 27-minute cameo in a group-stage defeat to Tunisia. Established now as arguably the best center back on the planet, he is poised for what could be his best World Cup.
Mikel Arteta will have added concerns because the timing is sensitive. Should Saliba’s injury require surgery after the tournament, a prospect tentatively floated by The Athletic, that would force him to miss the start of Arsenal’s Premier League title defense. The club already saw the impact when Saliba missed the final three months of the 2022–23 campaign because of a back problem: the Gunners were five points clear of Manchester City when he went to the treatment room, and City went on to win the league by five points.
Saliba was one of 10 Arsenal players to withdraw from international duty during March’s break, a sequence that prompted comparisons between Arteta and former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The retired midfielder, who was never afforded a senior cap by Spain himself, promised not to stand in any player’s way. “When you are fit and available to play for the national team, you have to play,” he reasoned earlier this year.
Arsenal
October Premier League award nominees announced
Premier League October award nominees include standout performers and managers across the division.
The Premier League has named the contenders for its October 2026 Player and Manager of the Month awards, with eight players and six managers included on the respective shortlists.
Bournemouth forward Evanilson enjoyed a productive month, finishing October with four goals and one assist from four appearances as his team beat Sunderland, Manchester United and Leeds United after a slow opening to the season.
Aston Villa striker Nicolas Jackson also reached four goals in the month. The former Chelsea player scored twice in the 2-1 win over Manchester City and also found the net in draws against Brentford and Fulham.
Arsenal are represented by Ezri Konsa and Declan Rice after a perfect month. Konsa impressed in defence while William Saliba was absent, keeping two clean sheets in three outings and scoring his first goal for the club. Rice contributed two important assists at the other end.
Jack Rudoni’s form has helped Coventry City. The newly promoted side took two wins from four matches in October, with Rudoni scoring three times as they moved further away from the relegation zone.
Tottenham Hotspur also had an unbeaten month, and Jan Paul van Hecke played a key role in wins over Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. No player attempted or completed more passes than the Dutch defender last month.
Brighton have two nominees in Luka Vušković and Bart Verbruggen. Three clean sheets in four matches brought recognition for the Seagulls’ defence.
On the managerial shortlist, Chelsea scored more goals than any other team in October with nine, while Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta guided his side to the top of the table. Roberto De Zerbi, Unai Emery, Fabian Hürzeler and Marco Rose complete the list after strong runs during the month.
Month
Player
Club
August
João Pedro
Chelsea
September
Pascal Groß
Brighton
Month
Manager
Club
August
Sergej Jakirović
Hull
September
Arsenal
Barcola highlights Liverpool’s control problem after Arsenal defeat
Barcola says Liverpool need more control after Arsenal and the numbers partly support him.
Bradley Barcola’s reaction to Liverpool’s loss to Arsenal has put a clear focus on the next stage of Andoni Iraola’s rebuild. The forward said the team need greater control and more composure in matches of this kind, especially when they are drawn into direct play rather than keeping the ball on the ground.
That message comes against a generally positive backdrop. Liverpool have already moved past Atlético Madrid, LASK and Villarreal with different levels of comfort, and they remain on course for a top-eight finish for the third straight season. That would spare them two extra fixtures in the new year.
Results have not been the major issue in Iraola’s opening months. Arne Slot’s successor has suffered only two defeats in all competitions, and Liverpool’s European form has been matched by a Carabao Cup quarterfinal place and fifth position in the Premier League. Even so, the rare home defeat to Arsenal showed that the side are still evolving.
Liverpool had their strongest moments after falling behind, with their work without the ball making life difficult for the champions. They controlled territory for long stretches and recorded 30 touches in Arsenal’s box in the first half, yet they did not manage a shot on target before the interval. Alexis Mac Allister also had a chance to level the game before half-time.
After the break, Mikel Arteta’s adjustments helped Arsenal settle, and Liverpool’s momentum faded. Barcola struggled to make repeated one-on-one progress and at times did not even look to take Jurrïen Timber on.
The numbers back up part of his complaint. Liverpool completed just 11 long passes, with a success rate of 25%, and only 11% of their crosses found a team-mate. Their average possession share ranks seventh in the Premier League, per Opta, while they have also produced 17 through balls, the joint-10th-highest total.
Barcola’s own game is built around running in behind, and he is still waiting for his first Premier League goal. Signed for huge money as Liverpool’s third-most expensive arrival ever, he was not universally viewed as a direct Mohamed Salah replacement because he prefers to play on the left. Salah left Anfield at the end of last season and later joined Trabzonspor on a free transfer, but Barcola said he feels no pressure from that departure: “Regarding Mo Salah, he’s a legend here. A huge one. He’s done big things here, and for that I have an enormous respect for him. But it’s not pressure for me at all.
Arsenal
Arteta sees Saliba return as a solution, not a selection issue
Arteta says Arsenal’s centre-back depth is a luxury, not a problem, as Saliba nears his return.
Mikel Arteta does not view Arsenal’s growing options at centre back as a concern. Instead, he believes the return of William Saliba, alongside Gabriel and Ezri Konsa, gives the squad a chance to manage the season more effectively.
Konsa, who started most of England’s run to a third-place finish at the tournament, was signed in August with the understanding that Saliba would be unavailable for several months. Since then, he has settled into the Arsenal line-up and has been consistently reliable.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after Arsenal arrived in Czechia for their Champions League meeting with Slavia Prague, Arteta suggested Saliba is now close to being available whenever the manager chooses to call on him.
“He’s in, and he’s in like anybody else,” Arteta explained. “All the preparation has been done to measure all the loads and all the steps that he had to do to minimize that risk. Now he’s in a really good place. He’s built the capacity that we needed and now it’s about giving him minutes.
“A center back normally has to be able to play 90 minutes and that’s why all the preparation that we’ve done to build him.” Saliba himself, Arteta said, is “very desperate” to get back and will have the “right amount of minutes very soon.”
For Saliba to regain his place, one of Gabriel or Konsa would need to step aside. Arteta said that having all three available is a “luxury” Arsenal have not enjoyed earlier in the season.
“I wouldn’t call it a problem,” he said. “We can talk about problems that are very different to that one.”
Arteta has long spoken about the physical strain placed on players across four club competitions, plus international commitments. He believes a deeper pool at centre back can help Arsenal rotate more intelligently and handle the demands of the schedule with greater control.
