Arsenal may miss ‘game-changer’ Bukayo Saka for Man City clash and stats show rethink is needed for victory

On April 3, 2023, Arsenal fell to a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool. The Gunners endured another disappointing campaign as they finished behind rivals Tottenham and failed to secure a top-four finish.

That home defeat marked the last time Bukayo Saka has failed to make a matchday squad for the north London side.

Since then, Saka has been involved in an Arsenal side in one way or another, be it from the outset or the bench. That run could end this weekend.

Saka sustained a muscle tweak in Arsenal's 2-1 loss to Lens in midweek to compound a miserable evening for Mikel Arteta's side. The injury couldn't come at a worse time as the Gunners gear up to take on Manchester City on Sunday.

Arsenal head into the final round of league games ahead of the international break one point behind league leaders City after they smashed Bournemouth 4-0 last time out.

City, meanwhile, saw their 100 per cent record abruptly stopped by Wolves. Arsenal will intend to head into the domestic hiatus above Pep Guardiola's side in the table and with a minor psychological edge of the defending champions. That'll prove far easier said than done without Saka.

The Gunners are already sweating on the fitness of left winger Gabriel Martinelli, so to lose both first choice widemen for a game of this magnitude would be ill-timed.

Saka has enjoyed yet another wonderful campaign to date. Only compatriot James Maddison (7.76) has a better WhoScored.com rating than the 22-year-old (7.74) in the Premier League this season, with the Arsenal star returning four goals and two assists across the opening seven games of the campaign.

When you consider that a bulk of Arsenal's attacks come down the right flank (41 per cent), then to lose the star right winger ahead of a huge game