Saliba watched Arsenal’s 2-1 win at Slavia Prague as an unused substitute, days after returning to first-team training. He had not been part of an Arsenal squad since his World Cup ended at the semi-final stage in July.

Arteta had set up the possibility in his pre-match press conference.

“His evolution has been as expected, which is not always the case. He feels very comfortable. He played 45 minutes behind closed doors last week. He feels ready to go now, so whether we use him or not is a matter of what the team needs,” the manager told reporters before the Slavia match.

The 25-year-old came off in the 30th minute of France’s 2-0 semi-final defeat by eventual champions Spain, and the back injury he came away with did not require surgery but did need a long rehabilitation.

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Konsa’s form has changed the calculation

Arsenal signed Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa in the summer for £51m, according to Sky Sports, in a deal that Yahoo Sport reports could rise to £55m with add-ons. The England defender has become a fixture alongside Gabriel, with 14 appearances across all competitions and his first Arsenal goal in a 2-0 win over Everton.

Konsa left Prague with a knee issue that is not considered serious. If he fails a late fitness check for Hull, the question of easing Saliba back answers itself.

Former Arsenal defender William Gallas told Yahoo Sport he does not expect Saliba straight into the XI.

“I don’t think so because he won’t be fully fit yet. He will play some games to try to come back.”

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The timing matters for the title race

Arsenal go into the Hull game top of the Premier League with 24 points from nine games, three clear of Manchester City, the Sky Sports table shows. Kick-off at the Emirates is at 3pm UK time on Saturday.

Then comes the November international window, after which the fixture list hardens: Newcastle away on 21 November, Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on 24 November, and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Emirates on 29 November.

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