The Emirates treatment room is starting to resemble a crowded subway at rush hour, and Mikel Arteta is the conductor desperately trying to keep the doors from closing on another injured star. Arsenal's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday was bad enough, but the sight of William Saliba hobbling off after just five minutes sent shivers down the spines of every Gunners fan. The French centre-back twisted his ankle during the warm-up, and his early exit only added to the growing list of absentees.

The match itself was a tight affair, decided by a moment of magic from Dominik Szoboszlai, whose sublime free-kick flew past David Raya. Arsenal, now third in the Premier League after three games, sit three points behind Liverpool and Chelsea. But the bigger concern is the fitness of their defensive linchpin.

Arteta's squad is already stretched thinner than a supermodel's patience. Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Christian Norgaard, and Ben White are all sidelined, while captain Martin Odegaard could only manage a spot on the bench at Anfield. The last thing Arsenal needed was another long-term injury, especially to a player as crucial as Saliba.

Injury expert Physio Scout, who correctly predicted Rodri's ACL injury last September, offered a cautiously optimistic assessment on social media. 'William Saliba had to come off early in the first half of Arsenal vs. Liverpool after suffering a lower-leg injury,' they explained. 'The video mechanism doesn't point to anything major, and Arteta explained, 'He twisted his ankle during the warm-up.'

The prognosis depends on the severity of the sprain. Physio Scout provided a handy table:

They added: '(Under the assumption it's a lateral ankle sprain) Saliba has withdrawn himself from the French squad, but this doesn't necessarily mean it's 'bad'.'

Fortunately for Arsenal, the international break arrives at the perfect time, giving Saliba a couple of weeks to recover. The Gunners return to action on 13 September against Nottingham Forest, then travel to Athletic Club for their Champions League opener, before hosting Manchester City on 21 September in a crucial top-of-the-table clash. Arteta will be desperate to have his defensive rock back for that one, if not sooner.

But let's be honest: Arsenal's injury luck has been so bad that you half expect the team bus to get a flat tyre on the way to the stadium. Last season, hamstring tears to Saka, Havertz, and Gabriel derailed their title challenge. Now, in 2025/26, the curse continues. Saliba's withdrawal from the French squad is a precaution, but it's another reminder of how fragile a title push can be.

So what's next? Arteta might consider wrapping his players in bubble wrap during training. Or perhaps he'll sacrifice a virgin to the injury gods. Whatever the method, the Gunners need Saliba back. With Manchester City looming, a patched-up defence could spell disaster. The international break gives hope, but Arsenal fans know better than to count their chickens before they hatch. After all, this is a club where a warm-up can turn into a month on the sidelines.

For now, all eyes will be on the treatment table. And on Physio Scout's Twitter feed for updates. Because in the cruel world of football, one twisted ankle can change everything.

According to coverage from The Verge - Gaming, strong reporting often connects individual setbacks to the wider pressure surrounding elite competition, a perspective that fits Arsenal's current injury concerns as Mikel Arteta balances short-term squad shortages with the longer demands of a title race.