Mikel Arteta has on Tuesday said William Saliba and Leandro Trossard are unsure to feature in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
Neither Saliba or Trossard were in the matchday squad for Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Portsmouth on Sunday, January 11, with Arteta telling reporters: “Those two are doubts because they’re not fit enough.”
Scheduled to take place on Wednesday’s night, the duo’s absence might have cost the gunners their place in the final of the Carabao cup.
While speaking with reporters during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Arteta revealed that the both players are still being checked on, with final decisions on their availability expected before the kick-off on Wednesday.
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Other players not expected on Wednesdays due to injuries are Riccardo, Piero Hincapie, Max Dowman and Cristhian Mosquera.
Calafiori has missed Arsenal’s last five games in all competitions. The left-back was initially named in the starting lineup against Brighton & Hove Albion but pulled out during the warm-up and was replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Arteta added that the issue is muscular, when asked ahead of the short trip to Chelsea, initially saying: “He’s progressing but we don’t know. I think it will probably be a matter of a few weeks but we don’t know exactly.”
Piero Hincapie also picked up an injury during last week’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool. And though Arteta ruled the Ecuador international out for the Chelsea game but could not specify when the left-back would potentially return to fitness.
