Mikel Arteta expressed optimism on Friday that Arsenal defender William Saliba will recover from his back injury to play a significant part in the Premier League title race's grand finale.
Saliba limped out in Arsenal's Europa League round of 16 loss to Sporting Lisbon and was not there for the victory over Crystal Palace just before the most recent international break.
The French centre defender, who has participated in every league game up to his injury, won't be available for Saturday's match against Leeds.
Nonetheless, Gunners manager Arteta thinks he might still play for the league's top team in the upcoming weeks as they pursue their first championship since 2004.
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"He is improving. Regrettably, he still experiences some back pain, which we are doing our best to treat, Arteta informed the press.
"He won't be ready for this game. The two of us are doing everything we can to help him feel better and return to training", but not yet.
"He and I both had high hopes. Back injuries can be difficult to treat".
"He has a positive attitude about it, and so do the medical professionals. Let's gradually increase the pressure each day to see how he handles it and how the discomfort changes".
Arteta eased any worries that surgery could be necessary, but he could not pinpoint a specific time for Saliba's return.
We'll give him the proper load and the rest he needs while keeping him busy. When the anguish starts to fade, we'll feel more at ease looking at the pictures of him", he remarked.
Only hours before the Gunners host Leeds, Manchester City, now in second place, will have a tricky test against Liverpool.
Although City has a game against Arsenal, the north Londoners hold the key to the championship.
Saliba is still sidelined, but Arteta has assured that Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey would be ready despite fears over an injury sustained while serving his country.
Sending a physio along with Partey when he plays for Ghana is something we've done in the past, he acknowledged.
"We manage and take care of our players, and we have a pretty fantastic relationship with the Ghanaian federation".
He was not healthy enough to participate in the second game but may return for the weekend.
