The Premier League title race looks set to go to the wire this season as Arsenal and Manchester City battle it out to lift the trophy in late May. The Gunners currently lead the division by eight points, though they have played one game more than City heading into the final stint.
It appears as though fine margins will once again decide whether the title will be draped in red or sky blue though, similar to previous seasons. Arsenal's latest flurry of late wins has helped propel them to the summit, while injury returns could play a huge factor in the final few weeks.
"I want to think positively. Touch wood, but I want to think positive," Mikel Arteta said on the international break and his players being away with their nations. "They’re going to have to play games, they have to do it in the way that they do it here or possibly even better with their country. We are in contact with all of them, they know how to look after them and hopefully it will all work out."
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While the side have so far avoided any extra injuries in the first few days of the break, rivals City have been unable to do so as Erling Haaland pulled out of the Norway squad. The striker, who looks set to smash goal scoring records this season, has struggled with a groin problem that will see him unavailable over the next week.
It remains to be seen how serious the impact will be on his campaign, however it could be a key factor in the race to the title. It has since been revealed that Haaland has visited a partner hospital of City's in Barcelona for further tests and treatment before making a return.
His father - Alfie Haaland - has given an update to TV2 in which he said: "Manchester City has a partnership with a hospital in Barcelona so he has been there for further checks and treatment. Now he has been here [Marbella] for a couple of days with the physio from the club.
"Firstly, I’m not a doctor and secondly, I think it’s 'touch and go' [to face Liverpool], yes. You can’t just go two weeks without training and then jump right into a fight. There must be a progression there. They can gamble on it, but if he doesn’t get proper training with the team, then he won’t play.
"It is about how he responds to treatment in the next few days. He needs a lot of care and 'knuckling'. There are many sprints and there is a lot to move. It was very surprising. I knew nothing. He called me and said that they had taken some pictures and found something that was not good.
"He would very much like to have played these two international matches. But he must prioritise his health, try to get his body back in place. Based on the assumptions, he is doing well, but he is very sad."
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