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.

Arsenal's defensive stalwart William Saliba is set for a spell on the sidelines after Sunday's medical checks revealed a hamstring issue, ruling him out for a crucial fortnight. The Frenchman missed the recent draw with Aston Villa, and in his absence, Jurrien Timber stepped up to fill the void at centre-half.

William Saliba is making good progress as he rehabs hamstring injury but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed he will be missing for the Champions League clash against Dinamo Zagreb

Mikel Arteta provided an encouraging update on William Saliba’s injury in his press conference on Tuesday, suggesting the defender should be back in time for next week’s clash with Manchester

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.

Arsenal have been dealt a blow after William Saliba was absent from training ahead of their Champions League clash with Dinamo Zagreb. However, Riccardo Calafiori and Ethan Nwaneri were able to join their team-mates on Tuesday afternoon.

News of Saliba potentially missing a mammoth fixture against Man City is of course not good news, but the Frenchman seems to have escaped with the most mild grade of hamstring injury - a more severe issue could have rendered him unavailable for a few months.

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.

Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Champions League today - Gunners will be without key man in defence again

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta allayed fears yesterday that William Saliba could be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury as he targets

Saliba will not be available for Arsenal’s penultimate Champions League group match against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.