Key Arsenal trio not seen in training ahead of Manchester City showdown
Three key Arsenal men were absent from the Gunners' latest batch of training pictures ahead of Sunday's mouthwatering Premier League showdown with Manchester City at the Etihad.
Thanks to a record-breaking eight-game winning run in the top flight since the turn of the year, Mikel Arteta's men entered the international break looking down on the other 19 teams in the division.
Level on 64 points with Liverpool in the table after 28 matches, the Gunners are currently edging out the Reds by virtue of a superior goal difference, while they have accrued one more point than Manchester City.
As such, victory on the treble winners' turf on March 31 would see Arteta's team build up a four-point lead over Pep Guardiola's men, but the former's squad is not exactly in tip-top shape heading into the weekend.
All of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes were unavailable for their countries this month on account of fitness concerns, and not one was seen in the latest round of training images the club released from Tuesday's session.
Saka reported for England duty at St George's Park ostensibly fully fit, but he withdrew before the 1-0 friendly loss to Brazil with an unspecified issue, which he has supposedly been carrying for some time.
There was believed to have been a precautionary element to Saka's withdrawal, but the 22-year-old is still not guaranteed to be fit for the clash with the champions, whom he also missed out on facing during October's 1-0 Emirates triumph.
That contest is the only Premier League match that Saka has missed for the Gunners this season, while centre-back Gabriel has been available for the entire campaign, coming up with four goals from 26 appearances in the top flight.
The former Lille man
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