Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale both withdrew from England international duty
(Picture: Getty Images)Arsenal are hopeful that Bukayo Saka will be fit for Monday’s trip to Crystal Palace, but fear the game may come too soon for Aaron Ramsdale.
Both players, who were forced to withdraw from England duty during the past fortnight, will be assessed over the coming days.
Saka contracted Covid-19 last week and immediately left the England camp, while Ramsdale injured his hip during Arsenal’s defeat by Liverpool on March 16.
The goalkeeper subsequently missed the win over Aston Villa and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta revealed he could be sidelined for “a few weeks”.
Ramsdale also pulled out of the England squad for Wembley friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast and is a doubt for Monday’s clash at Selhurst Park.
If he remains absent, Arsenal will once again call on Bernd Leno to step up. The German impressed against Villa before the international break and kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.
Leno was also in goal for Arsenal yesterday as they played a behind-closed-doors friendly against Brentford B at their London Colney training base.
Alexandre Lacazette scored a hat-trick and Rob Holding also got on the scoresheet as Arsenal won 4-1, but there was no Takehiro Tomiyasu in the squad.
The right-back has been struggling with a calf issue since January and Arsenal are not rushing his return.
