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Mikel Arteta confirms Ezri Konsa had ‘some issues’ after Slavia Prague win

By Mason Richardson on November 5, 2026

Arsenal have been dealt a huge injury scare after Ezri Konsa was forced off in the 62nd minute of their 2-1 win over Slavia Prague on Wednesday night.

Riding in the euphoria of their historic 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield, it took the Gunners just nine minutes to open the scoring at the Fortuna Arena.

Noni Madueke ran onto Viktor Gyökeres’s through ball before calmly slotting his finish through the goalkeeper’s legs. Gyökeres turned goalscorer this time after curling a superb effort into the far corner to double Arsenal’s lead.

Arsenal would have hoped to secure back-to-back clean sheets but failed to maintain their first-half dominance after the break. They were left exposed at the back, allowing Wiktor Nowak to score from close range to halve the deficit.

Konsa started the game alongside Gabriel Magalhaes for a fourth consecutive UEFA Champions League game this season.

Although he was guilty of a few mistimed challenges, including one in a dangerous area that earned him a booking, he was solid for most of the game. He also produced a standout moment with a marauding forward run, further highlighting his potential to play at right-back following suggestions that he could fill the role after William Saliba’s return to first-team training.

Blow

However, earlier in the first half, he appeared to pick up a problem with his left knee after making an important intervention near the far touchline inside.

Although he initially looked to be in considerable pain, the discomfort soon eased, and he was able to carry on without any obvious difficulty before being substituted for Cristhian Mosquera in the second half.

While Arsenal fans may have hoped his withdrawal was more of a tactical adjustment, head coach Mikel Arteta has now confirmed that the former Aston Villa man ‘had some issues’ before being substituted.

Speaking to the press in his post-Slavia conference, he said, ‘Obviously he’s playing a lot.’

‘He’s played so many games in the last few weeks.

He had some issues, and we decided to take him off.’

Konsa has already accumulated over 1000 minutes of football in all competitions for Arsenal since his £55m transfer from Villa in the summer.

His injury comes as a huge blow for Arteta ahead of their clash against Hull City at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Arsenal will need to assess Konsa’s condition before determining the next course of action, but Saliba’s return to the first-team fold provides valuable cover at the back at a crucial point in the season.