Ezri Konsa Returns to Training Ahead of Hull Clash

Ezri Konsa eased Arsenal fears by taking a full part in training on Friday ahead of the Premier League meeting with Hull, less than 72 hours after limping out of the Champions League tie against Slavia Prague.

The defender, a summer signing from Aston Villa, had sparked concern when he was forced off in midweek with what Mikel Arteta described as “some issues”. Konsa was seen feeling his knee during the first half at the Emirates and, with Arsenal already in control of the game, the decision was made not to gamble. He was replaced by Cristhian Mosquera shortly after the hour mark.

“Obviously he's playing a lot,” Arteta said. “He's played so many games in the last few weeks. He had some issues and we decided to take him off.”

That caution now looks well judged. Konsa’s presence in Friday’s session at London Colney strongly points to him being available as Arsenal look to beat Hull and protect their three-point cushion at the top of the table heading into the international break. His inclusion in the latest England squad only underlines the sense that the scare has passed.

Arteta is expected to offer a final medical update in his pre-match press conference, but the mood around Arsenal is of a manager with a near full deck to choose from at a pivotal point in the season.

Saliba steps back into frame

If Konsa’s recovery is a relief, the sight of William Saliba back in full training is something closer to a boost.

The France international has not played this season after a back injury wrecked his World Cup in the summer and forced a carefully managed rehabilitation. That patience, Arteta insists, has paid off.

“He's in a really good place,” the Arsenal manager said on Tuesday. “The process and the timings and the manner that the injury has been dealt with, especially the feelings that Willy has been having along the way, they have been very, very positive.

“His evolution has been as expected, which is not always the case. He feels really comfortable.

“He played 45 minutes behind closed doors last week. He feels ready to go. Whether we use him or not now is a matter of what the team needs.”

Those 45 minutes behind closed doors mark an important milestone for a player central to Arsenal’s defensive identity. Now the question is not whether Saliba is fit, but how and when Arteta chooses to reintroduce him into a back line that has coped, but rarely looked quite as assured without him.

With Konsa back on the grass, Saliba pushing for a first appearance of the campaign and a title race tightening above and below them, Arsenal approach Hull with something every contender craves at this stage: options.