Bukayo Saka ‘in contention’ for Manchester City clash despite injury
Mikel Arteta (right) confirmed Bukayo Saka is in contention to face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday (Nick Potts/PA)
Mikel Arteta has confirmed Bukayo Saka is in contention to face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
Saka sustained a muscle injury and was substituted during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at Lens in Group B of the Champions League on Tuesday.
The winger, who has scored four Premier League goals in seven games this season, could feature in Sunday’s clash at the Emirates and is part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for a friendly with Australia and a Euro 2024 qualifier with Italy.
“He is in contention, we’ll see how he progresses from here to Sunday,” Arteta said.
“Obviously he had to leave the pitch (against Lens), that’s never good news, but let’s see how he recovers.
“I have spoken to Gareth on several occasions. I have to do my job and give him the news.
“He needs to make the best decision for the national team. I’m not going to get involved.”
The Spaniard believes Arsenal’s Community Shield victory over Manchester City was important for confidence but admitted the Gunners will need to be “at our best in every department for 100 minutes” if they are to repeat that success this weekend.
Arsenal beat Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side on penalties in August after Leandro Trossard’s dramatic stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out Cole Palmer’s opener at Wembley.
However, that result between the teams has been the exception in recent years. City had beaten Arsenal in eight successive matches heading into the Community Shield, while Guardiola’s men are currently on a 12-match winning streak against the Gunners in the Premier League.
In fact, Arsenal have to go back to 2015 for the last
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