Arsenal issue Bukayo Saka injury update as Arteta sweats on four stars | Football | Sport
Bukayo Saka and Mikel Arteta (Image: Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal will be without Bukayo Saka for Sunday’s title showdown against Manchester City, though he remains optimistic that Noni Madueke will be fit enough to play. Saka has not featured for the Gunners since the Carabao Cup final defeat to Pep Guardiola’s side last month.
Despite the winger joining up with the England squad last month, he departed the camp after just a single day, and has subsequently missed three Arsenal fixtures. Arteta has now confirmed his team will once again be without the 24-year-old for Sunday’s clash at the Etihad.
“Bukayo is out. That is for sure,” the Gunners boss confirmed when asked about Saka. However, regarding Madueke, Arteta delivered a considerably more encouraging update.
Madueke required treatment midway through the second half of Arsenal’s Champions League draw with Sporting CP on Wednesday evening.
It quickly became apparent that the winger was unable to continue, with TV cameras showing him limping off the pitch and being supported by members of the Arsenal medical staff.
Yet when pressed for an update, Arteta said: “We have another training session tomorrow. It didn’t look that bad after the game, and he is someone who pushes through pain. But we will have to wait and see.”
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Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber have been absent in recent weeks, and when questioned about the trio, Arteta said: “Yeah, we will try again, some players are quite close, but the turnaround is short. We will try tomorrow.”
Odegaard offered an update on his fitness in his column for the official club programme for the Sporting match, saying: “I had to go off during the second half of that game in Portugal last week, feeling my knee, which is why I missed the game at the weekend.
“I caught it a little bit against Sporting, but hopefully it shouldn’t be too bad. I’m desperate to get back as soon as possible because this is the crucial period of the season, in the Premier League and Champions League.”
Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta are competing for the Premier League title (Image: Getty Images)
The Gunners hold a six-point advantage over their closest challengers, but Guardiola‘s side have a match in hand on Arteta’s team. Arsenal have slipped up in recent weeks, losing the Carabao Cup final, exiting the FA Cup and experiencing defeat to Bournemouth in the league.
But a win over Sporting on aggregate maintains the Gunners’ aspirations of a European and domestic double. And speaking beforehand, City star Antoine Semenyo told The Mixer, brought to you by Sky Bet: “Our form over the last couple of games has been good and we’re playing probably the best football we’ve played in the second half of the season.
“So it’s a good time to play them, I guess. Where they’ve dipped in form, we’ve picked up form, so it’ll be interesting.
“We were excited, to be honest. I feel like we’re ready for the game Sunday. It’s gonna be a big one. Title-deciding, maybe? I don’t know.
“But it’s gonna be a tough game, don’t get me wrong. They’ve obviously lost against Bournemouth, but they’re still top of the table. We’re still chasing them. So we have to give them respect in that sense.”
