Mikel Arteta is optimistic that Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka will be fit to face Brentford on Saturday.
Both players had to be taken off during Monday’s 6-0 win over Sheffield United with the manager later revealing the Brazilian had a “slight cut” on his foot while the England international was feeling unwell.
“Not much,” responded Arteta when asked for a team news update in his pre-game press conference.
“We had got some players back last Monday [including Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira], and then we had Martinelli and Bukayo with little issues.
“We are pretty positive that hopefully they can be part of that [the team], but we’ll have to wait and see how they feel tomorrow.”
If the pair are fit, Arsenal’s only absentees will be our trio of full-backs; Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
On Monday, Arteta said the latter was close to a return: “He’s very close, he’s already doing something on the grass and hopefully we’re going to have him very close with us.”
There will be one enforced change to the starting lineup at the weekend. David Raya is not allowed to face his parent club so Aaron Ramsdale will make his first league start since the return fixture in late November.
Arsenal will go top of the table for the first time since Christmas if they beat the Bees. Then all eyes will turn to Sunday’s mouthwatering clash between Manch115ter City and Liverpool.
It’s a showdown Arteta is looking forward to watching although he wouldn’t be drawn on who’d he rather see win.
“I can’t control it [the result],” said the Spaniard. “I will enjoy a magnificent game of football between the best teams in Europe in the last decade, and let’s see what that brings. But the focus is on us and Brentford.”
Quite a huge game really. Chance to jump to the top of the pile, and stay there the rest of the way. This is the moment the champions stride forward! COYG!!!
Won’t be expecting a goal avalanche. 2-0 will do me fine.
Yep. Hoping for a clean sheet more than a goal fest.
Manch115ter City or Mancheater City…. Both work
So does Fucking Oil Cheats.
Not to mention Mon€¥¢h€$t€r ¢it€h.
Hope Ramsdale plays at his best, especially on corners. But let’s hope we continue our scoring form and it doesn’t matter how he does.
Might be the last time Ramsdale plays at the Emirates (in an Arsenal shirt). No doubt he will get the rousing reception he deserves. He seems to have conducted himself with great dignity and exudes positivity (from what we see on the bench) despite what must have been a difficult season. He remains a first-class keeper, who will surely get better and better, given his relative youth. Love the guy.
Compared to most of Arteta’s incredibly cautious language when talking about injuries, this amounts to a guarantee that Saka and Martinelli are fine.
Anybody know exactly what injuries Tomi and Zinny are carrying?
One has the Smoke and the other has a case of Mirrors
Reiss must know his time’s up, if he can’t play any part against the bottom club at home, when Saka is ill
Is looking like Ramsbo last start, lets hope for a clean sheet for him and us, like a lot of us bringing in Raya was a head scratcher, had we bought Dec a season earlier who always shows for the ball when playing out his distribution stats would of been a lot higher, if worst case scenario in Ramsbo being injured in warm up or clatters Toney early for a red card Karl Hein will be our back up, i can’t recall a game he’s ever played for us, that said a 0-0 bore fest at Liverpool with injuries and… Read more »
Is the Malibu bottle a reference to Ma(tinel)li Bu(kayo Saka)?
It would be great to be at the top by Saturday evening. If we are still there after the game on Sunday, Arsenal may just push on and nick the title.
Manch115ter City !!
Brilliant Andrew Allen!
I knew that was no error, but is the meaning the number of FFP charges they face?
Mancheater City