Mikel Arteta says Bukayo Saka has a good chance of playing against Crystal Palace on Wednesday after confirming the Arsenal winger’s injury is minor.
Saka was seen limping after being substituted in the second half of Sunday’s 4-0 win at Ipswich, following a first-half foul by Leif Davis that resulted in the defender’s dismissal, sparking concerns he may miss next week’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal manager Arteta calmed concerns over Saka’s availability, stating that he could play against Palace at the Emirates Stadium, but a final decision would be made after evaluating his reaction to training.
Arteta indicated that he would consider fielding a full-strength team, including Saka, against Palace, despite Arsenal having little to gain in the Premier League, where they trail leaders Liverpool by 13 points, who will secure the title if Arsenal lose to Palace or Liverpool beat Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday.
In his words:“We cannot think in those terms. When the players are fit and available and want to play, they have to play,” Arteta said of his selection dilemma. “They are at their best when they are playing, and they have consistency in their performances, and physically they are good, emotionally they are good, their understanding and their rhythm and the way they make decisions are at their best.”
Second-placed Arsenal can make Arne Slot’s Liverpool wait a few more days for their Premier League title party if they beat Palace. “Our incentive is to win our game and to do our best to continue with our run that we are in right now, the rest we cannot control,” Arteta said.
