William Saliba has made a fitness claim ahead of Arsenal’s massive Premier League fixture this week against London rivals Chelsea.
The Gunners head into tomorrow’s clash against Mauricio Pochettino’s side top of the Premier League having won on the weekend against Wolves, ending a run of three games without a win in all competitions.
Whilst Manchester City have a game in hand, Arsenal returning to winning ways has come at the right time for Mikel Arteta’s side, who have just five games left season as the north London giants look to win the title for the first time in 20 years.
Yet Saliba has made a fitness claim that could concern some Arsenal fans.
Saliba admits ‘legs are tired’ ahead of ‘very big week’ for Arsenal
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Saliba admitted that legs are starting to get tired with Arsenal now in the business end of the season, with the defender playing every minute of Premier League football this campaign for the Gunners.
With the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard in similar boats, fitness issues could soon become apparent for Arsenal, who will want to avoid an injury crisis in the final five games of the Premier League season.
Saliba said on his fitness: “It is a very big week. I will have an ice bath, massage and do my best, but it is more mentally. Our legs are tired, but this is football. We play with our heads, that’s it. We have to push and give everything we have.
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“We don’t have a choice, we have to play, it’s the end of the season. We have to push for the last five League games and we will rest after. That’s why we are top — we have good players who don’t give up and sprint even at the last minute.”
Mikel Arteta could regret not opting for squad rotation
Arteta has been the catalyst behind Arsenal’s title charge, with the former club captain creating a squad that is now regarded as one of the best in Europe with tactics that most teams struggle to fight against.
However, many Arsenal fans have noted that Arteta’s use of squad rotation has been minimal this season, with the young manager only having a set amount of players he truly trusts to get the job done despite factors such as big scorelines.
And this could come back to bite Arsenal in the final games of the season, with many players in the squad lacking match sharpness having hardly played this year, something Liverpool and City have managed well.