Mikel Arteta offers Bukayo Saka injury latest for Brighton clash

The England winger has found it difficult to maintain peak fitness over the past couple of weeks, firstly having to cede his place in the England squad owing to an apparent muscle issue.

Saka was able to shake off the concern in time to start against Manchester City on Easter Sunday, but he got little change out of Josko Gvardiol and was substituted late on with a suspected knock.

Arteta played down the 22-year-old's issue as fatigue, and he was seen in training with his teammates prior to the 2-0 win over Luton Town in midweek, although he failed to make the matchday squad.

It was subsequently revealed that Saka had suffered a minor setback in training before Wednesday's game, but Arteta expressed hope that the winger would be given the thumbs-up to return at the Amex this weekend.

Speaking to the media in Friday's pre-match press conference, which was held before the Gunners' training session, Arteta said that Saka's availability would be determined once his players had taken to the field for practice later in the day.

«We will know now. We have a training session in a few hours and we will know whether he is fit or not. Everyone else seems OK,» arsenal.com quotes the Gunners boss as saying.

When asked whether he was concerned about the possibility of Saka experiencing burnout towards the end of the campaign, Arteta brushed off such worries and affirmed that it is normal for a player to soldier on with a few bumps and bruises.

«I'm super positive, I think he's going to fly and be so decisive. Because he's