MISSING STARS: THE REAL REASON WILLIAM SALIBA AND JURRIëN TIMBER SKIPPED ARSENAL TRAINING
Mikel Arteta confirms William Saliba and Jurriën Timber will miss the UCL clash with Kairat. Find out who will start in defence.
Mikel Arteta confirmed William Saliba will miss Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Kairat Almaty after picking up an injury. He’s not alone—Jurriën Timber is also out, and Declan Rice and Mikel Merino are suspended, so none of them will feature.
Speaking to the press about Saliba and Timber missing training, Arteta said, “They’re not available… they’ve got some niggles. It actually gives us a chance to work with them differently and get them back in the best shape possible.”
Missing Saliba, Timber, Rice, and Merino isn’t ideal, but if there’s a game to be without them, it’s this one. Kairat are already out of the competition and show up at the Emirates as one of just three teams—alongside Slavia Prague and Villarreal—who haven’t won a single game in this season’s group stage.
So, who steps in with Saliba and Timber sidelined?
Honestly, Arteta probably would’ve rotated anyway. This gives key players a rest and lets others like Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera get some minutes. Expect those two to slot in, likely forming a back four with Piero Hincapié and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Lewis-Skelly hasn’t seen much action lately, so he’ll be itching to make an impression.
Mosquera’s already filled in for Saliba this season—Arteta knows what he’s getting. Sure, he’s not as polished as Saliba, but the former Valencia defender has shown he’s reliable.
Then there’s Ben White. He used to be Arteta’s first-choice right-back when Timber was out long-term. Over the past year, though, he’s lost that spot and now usually comes in when Arteta wants to close out a game or isn’t facing top opposition.
The Kairat match is a chance for Arsenal to hit refresh.
They’ve only picked up two points from their last three Premier League games, and their lead at the top has shrunk to four. This fixture gives them a breather.
Arteta called the players’ reaction to Sunday’s shock defeat against Manchester United “excellent” and “encouraging” after some honest reflection. “We took a moment to bring the temperature down, to pause, to reflect and ask two questions,” he explained. “How do we feel, and how do we want to live the next four months?”
What came out of it was simple: they’ve earned a shot at four trophies, and for the next four months, they’re going to play with joy, bravery, and a real belief they’ll win.
“That’s the mindset, and that’s where we’re putting our energy. I hope everyone connected to the club, especially the fans, jumps on board—because this is how we’re going to live the next four months. We deserve it.”
WHY GYOKERES BELIEVES SALIBA AND GABRIEL ARE FOOTBALL'S BEST CENTER-BACK DUO
Viktor Gyokeres praises Arsenal's Saliba and Gabriel as the best defensive duo before the Champions League semi-final vs Atletico.
Viktor Gyokeres doesn’t hide how lucky he feels training with Gabriel and William Saliba. For him, this is as good as it gets for a centre-back pairing. “Honestly, I don’t think you can find better centre-backs than what we have,” he said. “Training against them, playing with them, I'm blessed, really.”
David Raya’s about to snatch another Golden Glove, thanks in no small part to the guys right in front of him. Seventeen clean sheets in the Premier League don’t come easy, and it’s Gabriel and Saliba who keep things solid at the back. They’ve become one of the best partnerships you’ll see anywhere, and Arsenal’s banking on them to help push for just their second Champions League final ever.
Next up, Arsenal face Atletico Madrid at home on Tuesday night, the second leg of the semi-final, after drawing 1-1 in Spain last week.
Gyokeres is hitting his stride, too. After his two goals against Fulham on Saturday, he’s up to 21 for the season. The Swede’s different since the new year rolled in. 14 of those goals came in 2026, and you can tell he’s getting more comfortable in an Arsenal shirt with every match. “You get to know everyone, you settle into life, and the routines – just everything – about changing clubs,” he said. “The more you play together, game after game, the easier it gets.”
There’s something else: Gyokeres has scored his last 27 penalties, including the one that buried Fulham. That coolness from the spot might come in handy if things are still locked after 120 minutes on Tuesday. So, what goes through his head when lining up for a penalty? “Don’t try to think too much. Just put it in the back of the net,” Gyokeres said. That’s pretty much it.
When someone asked if Arsenal had spent extra time practising penalties ahead of the big game, Gyokeres just smiled and said, “No comment.”
TITLE RACE MATH: WHY ARSENAL’S SIX-POINT LEAD CHANGES THE PRESSURE ON MAN CITY
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal rediscovered their flowing football in a dominant win over Fulham, putting immense pressure on Manchester City.
Arsenal finally looked like themselves again, brushing past Fulham with the kind of confident, flowing football they showed earlier in the season, not the sluggish stuff fans have sat through lately.
Right from kickoff, they flew at Fulham and pretty much had the game wrapped up in the first half. That win nudges them six points ahead of Man City, though City has two games in hand. With just three matches left, every point feels golden. City heads to Everton on Monday for the first of those crucial fixtures.
This wasn’t just a win; it was a real confidence boost. Perfect timing, too, with the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid just around the corner. You could see Arsenal were sharp right from the start. No signs of tired legs after that trip to Madrid. Myles Lewis-Skelly looked thrilled to finally get a start, and Trossard wasted no time getting involved, nearly scoring early on.
It didn’t take long for Arsenal to get the opener. Less than 10 minutes in, Saka, who wore the armband, danced past Jimenez (who slipped) and squared the ball for Gyokeres. An easy tap-in, his twentieth goal of the season. Not a bad haul for his debut year, especially considering how much criticism he’s taken.
Funny enough, the goal came at almost the same time as last week’s against Newcastle. But this time, Arsenal wanted to avoid the nerve-shredding finish they had then. They looked determined to put Fulham away early.
Fulham hardly touched the ball in that first half. Lukic picked up a yellow for hacking down Eze; it summed up Fulham’s frustration. They’ve never found much luck at Arsenal, and today continued that streak. Their fans barely had moments to cheer.
Leno spilt a cross at one point but managed to block Gyokeres’ follow-up. Saka blasted the rebound wide with the goal gaping, then Trossard floated a beauty to Calafiori at the back post, but the header was ruled out for offside.
Arsenal’s attacking play finally paid off again. Eze slipped a perfect ball through to Gyokeres, who held it up and teed up Saka, bursting into the box and finishing low into the corner.
Their confidence kept growing. Calafiori, charging forward again, set up Eze for a shot that bent just wide. Arsenal didn’t want the half to end, and with good reason. Just before the whistle, Trossard whipped in a great cross, and Gyokeres headed home for his second. Arsenal went into halftime cruising.
Arteta could actually afford to give Saka a rest, taking him off at the break to save his legs for Tuesday. Rice also got a breather soon after.
Fulham did show a little more bite after halftime. Jimenez hit one just over, and Castagne twice came close from a corner and then with a quick shot after the ball dropped to him at the edge of the box.
Arsenal could’ve pushed for more goals to boost their goal difference, but they opted to see the game out sensibly. Still, they nearly made it four when Calafiori’s header bounced off Leno’s head and onto the bar.
And then there was Max Dowman, who went on a mazy run from halfway; weaving through defenders, if that shot had found the net, people would be talking about it for years.
In the end, it was just the performance Arsenal needed: sharp, confident, and a reminder of what they’re capable of.
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