Ezri Konsa Returns to Training Ahead of Arsenal vs Hull
Ezri Konsa eased Arsenal’s growing injury anxieties on Friday, stepping out for full training ahead of the Premier League meeting with Hull just days after limping off in Europe – and on the same day his England call-up was confirmed.
The defender had sparked concern in midweek when he was withdrawn against Slavia Prague in the Champions League, clutching at his knee during a first half in which he never looked entirely comfortable. Mikel Arteta and his staff chose not to gamble. With an hour gone, Konsa’s night ended and Cristhian Mosquera came on.
“Obviously he's playing a lot,” Arteta said afterwards. “He's played so many games in the last few weeks. He had some issues and we decided to take him off.”
Those “issues” now look more like precaution than problem. Konsa’s presence at London Colney on Friday, moving freely with the group, points strongly towards him being available as Arsenal try to swat aside Hull at the Emirates Stadium and protect their three-point cushion at the top heading into the international break.
The timing matters. Arsenal are entering the kind of stretch where minor knocks can quickly snowball into selection crises, and Konsa has already become a central piece of Arteta’s defensive puzzle since arriving from Aston Villa in the summer. Losing him for any length of time, especially with European commitments already biting, would have been a significant blow.
Instead, the mood around the squad is one of quiet relief. Arteta will still be asked for final confirmation in his pre-match press conference, but all signs point to a near clean bill of health.
That includes William Saliba.
The French centre-back, whose back injury wrecked his World Cup and delayed his return to club action, also trained with the group as he edges towards his first appearance of the season. For Arsenal, it feels like the return of a cornerstone.
“He's in a really good place,” Arteta 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.”
That last line is telling. For the first time in months, Arteta sounds like a manager choosing between options rather than patching holes. Konsa fit enough to train. Saliba back in the frame. Mosquera showing he can step in from the bench without fuss.
Hull arrive facing a side not only top of the table, but close to full strength again. The question now is not who Arsenal can field – it’s how ruthless they intend to be with a title race already sharpening around them.
