Championship Sunday is basically a glorified friendly for Arsenal FC, who have already clinched runner-up status for the 2024-25 Premier League season. Therefore, we don’t see any reason to risk center back William Saliba in this one. Fellow defender Jurrien Timber is already shut down for the remainder (which is now just one game). And Mikel Merino is suspended, so there you have three additional absentees, to go along with the regular standing cadre, in this one.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke of the thigh injury to Saliba on Sunday.
Championship Sunday FYIs
Arsenal vs Southampton FC
Kickoff: Sun. May 25, 2025, at 4pm UK, St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
Arsenal Preview Content: Starting XI Prediction Team News
Google Result Probability: Southampton FC 10% Draw 15% Arsenal 75%
PL Position, Form Guide: Southampton FC 19th, 12 pts, DLLDL Arsenal 2nd, 71 pts WDLDW
Arsenal Team News
“I think one of the last actions – when he was tracking back – he felt something in his hamstring, so we will need to scan and see how he is,” the Gunners boss said. Meanwhile Timber (ankle) has already been ruled out for what’s left, joining the likes of the two Gabriels (Magalhaes and Jesus), as well as Tomiyasu in this department.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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