Bukayo Saka to miss Manchester City match

TL;DR

Bukayo Saka will miss Arsenal's match against Manchester City due to an Achilles injury. Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed Saka hasn't played since the Carabao Cup final on March 22nd.

Key points

Bukayo Saka is out due to an Achilles injury.
He hasn't played since the Carabao Cup final on March 22.
Mikel Arteta hopes for a quick return, but no specific timeline is given.
Noni Madueke may replace Saka, pending his fitness.

Bukayo SakaArsenalManchester CityNoni Madueke

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 22: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal looks on during the Carabao Cup Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on March 22, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) | Getty Images Arsenal will be without star winger Bukayo Saka for Sunday’s all-important trip to Manchester City, Mikel Arteta confirmed in a press conference. The Gunners’ attacking talisman hasn’t played since the Carabao Cup final on March 22nd. He is dealing with an Achilles issue that he has been “carrying for a while” according to Arteta. Speaking earlier this week before the second leg against Sporting, the Arsenal manager said he hoped that the injury would keep his star out for “days not weeks.” Saka is “starting to do some stuff” towards returning to the pitch, but it’s not clear how quickly he’ll be back in action. You’d expect Noni Madueke to start in Saka’s place, but the England international is dealing with a knock of his own. The 24-year old was forced off against Sporting after being clattered in the second half. Mikel Arteta said that the problem didn’t look that bad after the match, that Madueke’s availability isn’t guaranteed, but that he is hopeful. My gut is telling me he plays. As for Arsenal’s other missing players — Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, and Martin Ødegaard — Arteta said they’d wait and see after tomorrow (Saturday’s) training session. He refused to rule any of them out nor give anything more concrete than that. Fun!

Q&A

Why is Bukayo Saka missing the Manchester City match?

Bukayo Saka is missing the match due to an Achilles issue he has been dealing with for some time.

When is Bukayo Saka expected to return to action?

Mikel Arteta hopes Saka will return in 'days not weeks,' but the exact timeline remains unclear.

Who will replace Bukayo Saka in the lineup against Manchester City?

Noni Madueke is expected to start in Saka's place, although his availability is uncertain due to a knock he received in a previous match.