Arsenal suffer huge title race blow as two stars ruled out for rest of the season
In a major setback for Arsenal, two of their key players, William Saliba and Oleksandr Zinchenko, have been ruled out for the remainder of the season. Saliba sustained a back injury during the Europa League Last 16 defeat to Sporting Lisbon. Since then, the French defender has been unable to return to the pitch, and Arsenal ultimately lost the tie on penalties. On the other hand, Zinchenko suffered a calf problem during the recent victory over Newcastle. Unfortunately, his injury has proven to be more serious than initially anticipated, forcing him to join Saliba on the sidelines for the final three Premier League games.
With Zinchenko unavailable, it is expected that Scottish international Kieran Tierney will step in at left-back. In Saliba's absence, Rob Holding initially filled the central defensive role, but he has since lost his starting spot to January signing Jakub Kiwior. Following Saliba's injury, Arsenal experienced a four-game winless streak, allowing Manchester City to overtake them in the title race. However, victories against Chelsea and Newcastle have allowed the Gunners to narrow the gap to just one point.
Nonetheless, Arsenal's hopes of reclaiming the top spot have suffered a blow with the news of the season-ending injuries to Saliba and Zinchenko. The absence of Saliba may not come as a surprise, as manager Mikel Arteta had previously expressed disappointment over the progress of the French defender's recovery. However, the extent of Zinchenko's injury is unexpected, particularly considering his crucial role in Arsenal's style of play this season.
Looking ahead, Arsenal's next Premier League fixture is against Brighton, and Arteta will be hoping to avoid any further defensive setbacks before the match against the high-flying Seagulls. Despite the absence of the two star players in defense, Arteta had previously expressed confidence in his team's ability to cope with the situation. However, the loss of Saliba and Zinchenko will undoubtedly present a significant challenge for Arsenal as they strive to close the gap on Manchester City, who still have a game in hand.
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