Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has officially ruled Bukayo Saka out of Sunday's Premier League title showdown at Manchester City, confirming the 24-year-old winger will play no part in what could be the defining match of the entire season.
Saka sustained an Achilles injury during last month's Carabao Cup final defeat against the same opponents at Wembley Stadium and has been absent from Arsenal's squad ever since. England manager Thomas Tuchel sent him home from the March international break as a precaution, and the winger has now missed three successive club fixtures — two of which ended in defeat for the Gunners.
Arteta speaks at Friday press conference
Arteta left no room for doubt when addressing reporters ahead of the Etihad trip. "Bukayo is out, that's for sure," the Spaniard confirmed. "He's just starting to do some stuff, so let's see that progression, how quickly we can go through it and then wait. But at the moment it's not available."
The Arsenal manager described the overall injury situation as "far from ideal" while praising Saka for his attitude during the recovery process, noting the winger was "constantly looking for solutions." On Noni Madueke, who came off in the Sporting CP draw, Arteta offered more hope.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, said:
"He didn't look that bad after the game, he was quite positive. He's a player that pushes through pain. I'm hopeful he can be available,"
Saka's absence sits alongside a broader casualty list that threatens Arsenal's title ambitions at the worst possible time. Captain Martin Odegaard is a doubt after picking up a knee problem in the first leg against Sporting, having only recently returned from a six-week lay-off. Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber have both missed the last two matches with respective injuries, leaving Arteta severely short of options heading into the most important fixture of the campaign.
A win on Sunday would extend Arsenal's lead at the top to nine points. A defeat, however, could reduce their advantage to just three — with City holding a game in hand.
