Arsenal face Ezri Konsa injury worry after England withdrawal
Ezri Konsa
Thomas TuchelMikel Arteta has been handed a fresh selection headache after defender Ezri Konsa withdrew from the England squad with a double fitness concern.
The former Aston Villa centre-back, who has been deputising for the injured William Saliba, returned to London to undergo treatment on his thigh.
Tuchel explains the double blow
England manager Thomas Tuchel sought to ease fears over the severity of the problem, explaining that the defender had arrived at the national camp carrying some discomfort.
Despite the initial issue, Konsa played the entirety of the match against Spain before sitting out the subsequent victory over the Czech Republic.
He returned to the starting line-up for the emphatic 7-0 win against Croatia but picked up a secondary knock during the game.
Speaking to reporters at Tottenham’s Hotspur Way training complex, Tuchel said:
“He tried everything for the match in Croatia and gave the green light, finished all the training sessions, unfortunately he got another hit on the quad that caused a light trauma.”
The England boss insisted that the medical staff had not taken any unnecessary gambles with the player’s physical condition.
Explaining the decision to send the defender back to his club, Tuchel said:
“We decided to not let him play through the pain and discomfort again, so he left camp to get treatment for both of his issues.”
The manager added that the setback was not expected to sideline the defender for a prolonged period, saying:
“I think nothing major but not worth the risk taking.”
Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott also withdrew from the squad with a more serious quad injury, though Tuchel defended the medical team’s handling of both players.
Defensive crisis eases for Arteta
The news comes at a challenging moment for Arsenal, who have been grappling with a series of defensive absentees in recent weeks.
Saliba remains sidelined with a persistent back problem, which forced Konsa to step straight into the starting XI following his recent arrival at the Emirates Stadium.
Konsa has already made four successive starts across the Premier League and Champions League, putting a heavy physical load on the summer recruit.
However, there is encouraging news elsewhere on the medical front for the Gunners as they prepare for the return of domestic football.
Ben White is close to making his return after recovering from a groin problem that he picked up during a match against Sunderland.
Summer signing Cristhian Mosquera is also progressing well in his rehabilitation from a hamstring strain suffered against Aston Villa in late August.
Mosquera has been utilising his former club Valencia’s facilities during the international break to accelerate his recovery.
A crucial clash with Leeds
Jurrien Timber has also returned to action following a long-term groin injury, giving Arteta further options across his backline if Konsa fails to recover in time.
On Sunday, prior to his official release from the national camp, Konsa joined his team-mates in London for a recuperative pilates session.
The north London side host Leeds United in a Saturday lunchtime kick-off, leaving Konsa with very little time to prove his fitness to the coaching staff.
Arteta will hope the defender can recover quickly to maintain stability in a backline that has already undergone significant disruption this season.
