Arsenal worry over Saliba and Gabriel fitness ahead of crucial upcoming fixtures
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have handed Arsenal a fresh injury worry at a crucial stage of the season, raising concerns over fitness ahead of key matches.
Arsenal face anxious wait after injured trio Rice, Saka, Madueke leaves England camp
They are all struggling with fitness issues after withdrawing from international duty, leaving manager Mikel Arteta anxiously awaiting updates.
The trio were among eight players who returned to their clubs on Saturday after leaving the England camp early. England head coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed the setbacks, stating that the players are expected to be sidelined for "some days", although the exact severity remains unclear.
Madueke’s injury occurred during a 1-1 draw against Uruguay, where he was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Rodrigo Aguirre. He was later seen wearing a knee brace, raising further concerns about his availability.
Their potential absence comes at a critical juncture, with Arsenal preparing for an FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton this weekend, followed by a Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting CP next Tuesday.
"There's nothing more to add from me, as a coach, I'm not a medical expert," Tuchel said on the condition of the players released prematurely before facing Japan on Tuesday.
"We had an assessment after the match, but none of them were able to stay and get minutes.
"They had a medical assessment, they wanted to desperately play, to get the narrative straight, and desperate to be involved, but it made no sense to make this risk.
"If a last game of the season, we'd have kept them, tried everything, but it didn't make sense. The risk to make it worse, was too big, they were in clear discomfort. It made no sense for them to stay.
"[Noni] pictured better than his feeling, but he'll be out for some days."
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Thomas Tuchel: England defender Ben White must take boos 'on the chin'
Ben White endured a turbulent return to the international stage as England were held to a 1-1 draw by Uruguay at Wembley Stadium, with the defender at the centre of both celebration and controversy.