Arsenal's seven games without William Saliba has proven that Mikel Arteta and Edu must look to bolster their defensive reinforcements in the summer. A back injury forced Saliba off against Sporting CP on March 16 and the Frenchman is yet to feature since with Rob Holding then chosen to partner Gabriel Magalhaes in defence.
Two consecutive 4-1 victories hinted that Arsenal were still on top form even without Saliba, but then came the mass drop off which saw the Gunners go four games without a win, culminating in a humiliating 4-1 defeat at the hands of Premier League title rivals Manchester City. Holding was quickly proven to be out of his depth in the Arsenal back four and Arteta's reluctance to make a tactical change may have cost his team the title.
Nine dropped points in four games has ultimately put Pep Guardiola's men in the driving seat with just a few weeks left of the season. Lifting silverware this campaign may not be achieved, but Arsenal must place themselves in the best possible position to win a trophy next season and work to do so will begin in the summer.
