Arsenal Afternoon Round-Up, Friday 16th October 2026: Arteta Delivers Injury Boost and Addresses Saliba Photo Saga Ahead of Forest Trip
Mikel Arteta held his pre-match press conference this afternoon ahead of Sunday's Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest, and there was good news on the fitness front. Football.London reports that Arteta confirmed a "triple" injury boost in a four-player update as the squad builds towards the weekend (Football.London) (Football.London) (Football.London). Arsenal.com also provided the latest on Zubimendi, Hincapie, Tzolis and Saliba, giving fans a clearer picture of who might be available (Arsenal.com).
There was also a lighter moment in the press conference regarding William Saliba, who was notably missing from the club's newly published team photo this week. According to Sky Sports, Arteta confirmed Arsenal will take a new team photo including Saliba to put the matter right (Sky Sports). Football.London adds that Arteta directly responded to reports of Saliba's 'unhappiness' over being left out of the original photo, addressing the story head-on in front of the media (Football.London) (Football.London).
On the other side of Sunday's fixture, Sky Sports note that Forest's Gibbs-White is a doubt to face Arsenal, which could be a boost for the Gunners going into the match (Sky Sports).
Away from team news, Arteta also used his press conference to defend Arsenal's decision to cut up to 60 jobs at the club. The Guardian reports he insisted the move was necessary to help Arsenal "evolve and create success" (The Guardian), while BBC Sport quotes him saying he was told the cuts had been made to "achieve the success we want to create" (BBC Sport).
Elsewhere, Football.London's column argues Viktor Gyokeres has made a slow start to the season and is at risk of being forgotten after a mixed run of form (Football.London).
This round-up is written with the help of AI, using only the day's headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.