Positive injury update for Arsenal 24yo pre-City

In other injury updates, Collings adds that Bukayo Saka’s Achilles issue may not heal in time for Sunday, but Arsenal are more confident about getting some defenders back, with Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori working hard to be fit for the game.

If Saka is indeed missing, that only increases the need for Arsenal to have Madueke available.

Arteta could call on 16-year-old Max Dowman, but for a game of this importance that might not be the best idea.

Another solution would be to use a player out of position, such as Gabriel Jesus or Gabriel Martinelli, both of whom have played on the right in the past. But that’s hardly ideal for this pivotal title showdown.

Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images

Arsenal’s schedule will be a little more forgiving after the City game, given the Gunners’ exit from the FA Cup. The team will get the following midweek off, and they’ll also have rests in the two midweeks between the final three games of the season in May.

If Mikel Arteta can get his best players back fit, you’d hope those breaks will allow the team to get proper rest and be at their best for the run-in. But for this weekend, it’s just a matter of getting through it and finding that all-important result.