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Mikel Arteta shared an update on Bukayo Saka’s fitness ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Luton Town after seeing him limp off against Manchester City.
Saka, who was initially a fitness doubt leading up to the game against City after pulling out of international duty with England, had to be substituted in the 78th minute of the encounter at the Etihad Stadium, which ended in a goalless draw. The England international was evidently in pain and discomfort as Gabriel Martinelli replaced him in the final quarter of the match.
Despite the apprehension surrounding his injury, Arteta has now confirmed that Saka is “fine” and available for selection against Luton Town.
“We haven’t trained, just recovered,” Arteta told reporters. “We have a short, light session today to prepare for the game, and we will see if he’s in the best condition to start or not.”
Saka was far from his best against City as he could complete just 11 passes and was unable to dribble past any defender during his stay on the pitch. However, Arteta remains optimistic that he will play a significant role against Luton as they aim to keep their title charge on track.
When asked about Saka’s ability to play the full 90 minutes, Arteta affirmed, “He certainly is today. We will train today and see the state of every player and make the right decision tomorrow.”
The update from Arteta comes as a relief for Arsenal fans, as Saka’s availability adds depth to the squad ahead of a crucial fixture. The manager would hope that his talismanic forward shrugs off any discomfort at the earliest and revives his scoring touch ahead of a busy schedule for the Gunners which will see them travel to Brighton on Saturday before hosting Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday.
