William Saliba's return gives Arsenal's Arteta a selection headache - Rio Ferdinand

William Saliba should expect a fight to regain his place in the Arsenal defence ahead of "immovable object" Ezri Konsa, according to former England centre back Rio Ferdinand.

France international Saliba has been stepping up his recovery from the back injury he suffered at the World Cup and played a half for Arsenal's Under-21s on Sunday.

If all continues to go well, Saliba could be in contention to return to Arteta's squad for the trip to Newcastle after the international break.

Konsa -- who completed a £55 million ($73.6m) move from Aston Villa ahead of the summer transfer deadline -- has impressed alongside Gabriel at the heart of the Gunners backline, helping the champions open up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Ferdinand sees no reason why England defender Konsa, currently managing some fitness issues of his own over the international break, should automatically make way once Saliba is up to speed again.

On his YouTube channel, former Manchester United defender Ferdinand said: "Mikel Arteta has got a huge problem now. What is he going to do when Saliba is fit?

"Because Konsa has come into that back four and said, 'I have been here for 10 years and I am the immovable object now,' that is what it feels [like.]

"He has just slid in there and said, 'listen man, that is my parking spot, it is mine now'. He has made some last-ditch tackles in games to keep them in games and to help them win games.

"He looks dominant, aggressive and he looks accustomed to wearing the Arsenal shirt. He looks like he is meant to be there -- but let's not forget about Saliba and what he was doing when he was in the team and how great he looked.

"So this is a problem, but it is a problem that Mikel Arteta, I hope, will enjoy -- to have two top centre backs vying to play in that team that are performing at their premium best at the moment, and arguably your best one [Saliba] is not in there, what a position to be in."

Konsa will not feature for England in their opening Nations League match of the international break against Croatia at Wembley on Thursday night as he follows his own fitness programme.

The 29-year-old should be available for Sunday's game with world champions Spain in Madrid.

With title rivals Manchester City having slipped six points off the pace after three straight league defeats, Ferdinand believes Arsenal have shown they can continue to dig out results after successive 1-0 victories away to Liverpool and then at home to Hull.

"The way Arsenal are finding ways to win football matches without playing their best football, that just spells trouble for everybody else," said Ferdinand, who won the Premier League six times at United as well as the 2008 Champions League.

"If you are winning games ugly and not in your best form, imagine when you get to being in form and your real players start kicking in."