Arsenal are dealt a huge double defensive blow as ‘William Saliba and Oleksandr Zinchenko are ruled OUT for the rest of the season through injury’
- Saliba hasn’t played since March and has been struggling with a back injury
- Zinchenko was withdrawn early during the weekend’s game with a calf problem
- But, neither player are expected to require surgery for their respective issues
William Saliba and Oleksandr Zinchenko have reportedly been ruled out for the rest of the season through injury in Arsenal‘s latest blow to their Premier League title hopes.
Saliba has been absent for Arsenal since early March having struggled with a back issue, though there had been hopes he would be fit to play for the Gunners in the run-in.
He has however lost the race to do that, and won’t play for the team again until next season after an impressive campaign before his injury.
Zinchenko, meanwhile, has struggled with various injuries this season and his latest one has ruled him out for what remains of it, with the calf problem he picked up against Newcastle at the weekend proving significant.
According to The Athletic, neither player will require surgery for their respective problems, but will have to wait until next year to pull on a red shirt again.
William Saliba (right) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (left) have been ruled out for the rest of the season for Arsenal
Salbia has been absent for Arsenal since March with a back issue, while Zinchenko picked up a calf injury last weekend
Arsenal are three points behind Manchester City, who have a game in hand, in the race to win the Premier League this season.
They have three games remaining to try and lift their first trophy since 2004, and they had looked like the would go onto do so after building a significant lead over City as the run-in neared.
But Saliba’s absence coincided with the Gunners’ downturn in form that saw them fall back into the grasps of City and below them in the table.
Mikel Arteta’s has struggled to replace the Frenchman, starting Rob Holding in his place before dropping him and opting for January signing Jakub Kiwior instead.
Zinchenko, meanwhile, has made 33 appearances for Arsenal since joining the club from City in the summer.
He has helped the side’s development tactically in…