Bukayo Saka is “in contention” to face Manchester City on Sunday, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed.
The winger limped off during the Gunners’ unexpected Champions League defeat to Lens on Tuesday.
Saka was called up to the England squad on Thursday, with England manager Gareth Southgate admitting his availability would depend on whether he recovered in time for Sunday’s showdown with Pep Guardiola’s City.
Arteta has handed Arsenal a boost by admitting the 22-year-old could be fit to feature in his 88th successive Premier League match.
“He is in contention”, Arteta said. “Let’s see how he progresses from here to Sunday. He had to leave the pitch and that’s never good news. Let’s see how he recovers.”
Quizzed about the details of Saka’s injury and whether the player had needed a scan, Arteta replied coyly: “I leave that to the doctors. I’m not a doctor. That’s what they told me [— that he’s fit].”
Southgate, like Arteta, has relied on Saka heavily in recent years, since handing him his international debut in 2020. But Arteta says he is not about to tell the England manager how intensively or sparingly he can use the player.
“I have spoken to Gareth on several occasions”, Arteta said. “But I have to do my job. I give him the news and this is the position that everyone is at. He has to make the best decision as well for the national team. I’m not going to get involved in that.”
Leandro Trossard may be selected to start against City if Saka does not pass a late fitness test, and Arteta praised the Belgian for what he has added to the squad since signing from Brighton in January.
“Leo has been really good,” said the Arsenal boss.
“He had a big impact on the team in the last game that he played. He had an absence against Brentford that [meant] he couldn’t participate, but for the rest he’s been really good.”
