As the Premier League returns, Arsenal face a number of injury headaches ahead of their clash with Bournemouth, while Manchester City also have their own fitness concerns.
The Gunners and City are once again expected to lead the charge in this season’s title race, with both teams neck-and-neck on points and goal difference after the early rounds of games. They sit just one point behind current leaders Liverpool as the competition heats up following the international break.
Manchester City will take on Wolves on Sunday but have some key players missing. Kevin De Bruyne remains a doubt due to injury, and while Rodri and Oscar Bobb are confirmed absentees, Nathan Ake looks set to make a return after participating in training this week.
Arsenal’s injury situation is more complicated. Mikel Arteta’s side will travel to Bournemouth on Saturday, but there are question marks surrounding several of his top players—chief among them, Bukayo Saka. The star winger picked up a knock while on duty with England, leaving his availability uncertain.
Arteta offered an update on Saka’s condition: “It’s not a serious injury. He’s been progressing really well. He’s done some work since returning from the national team, and we’re hopeful. We’ll assess him after training today to see if he can make it in time.”
Kai Havertz, who didn’t join Germany during the break due to precautionary measures, is also on Arteta’s mind. “He’s had a few issues that we’ve been managing,” Arteta explained. “He’s been fantastic, and the communication with Germany has been great. If he trains well today, there’s a good chance he’ll be fit and available.”
The Gunners also need to weigh up whether to risk Gabriel Martinelli, who returned from Brazil duty, while Ben White, Jurrien Timber, and Oleksandr Zinchenko are edging closer to fitness but remain doubts. Unfortunately for Arsenal, captain Martin Odegaard is still sidelined, adding to the team’s selection dilemmas.
