Arsenal boss Arteta rules out Saka for Man City clash, Madueke could feature

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] ‌are six points ahead of second-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a], who have a game in hand. Despite ‌a 2-1 loss at home to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bournemouth/OtpNdwrc/"]Bournemouth[/a] last week, Arteta ‌said his side remain confident, even with winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saka-bukayo/08NLEo06/"]Bukayo Saka[/a] and midfielder ‌Mikel Merino sidelined.[/p][p]Saka has not played since the League Cup ‌final defeat by City last month, while Merino has been sidelined since undergoing foot surgery in February.[/p][p][b]"Bukayo is out, that's for sure, Mikel is out as ‌well,"[/b] Arteta told reporters on Friday.[/p][embed guid="82120c98-0199-4eb8-97b5-75b33ff1182d" url="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2045135074060820568" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"We have ⁠another training session tomorrow. Madueke is ‌quite positive, and he is a player who pushes through pain. I'm ​hopeful he can be available but we'll see if he's able to train.[/b][/p][p][b]"Saka is just starting to do some ​stuff. Let's see that progression and how quickly we can go through."[/b][/p][p]Arteta said Arsenal will assess several players who have missed recent ⁠matches, including [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/odegaard-martin/ID32TGhp/"]Martin Odegaard[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/timber-jurrien/hSaoLOM4/"]​Jurrien Timber[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/calafiori-riccardo/CEwq7x7l/"]Riccardo Calafiori[/a], as they look to bolster the squad for the weekend.[/p][p][b]"Some players are quite close. The turnaround time is short. We will try tomorrow to push everybody,"[/b] added the Spaniard.[/p][p][b]"If they ‌are in good condition, they will be part of us. If they are not, they won't.[/b][/p][p][b]"We will have a solution, whatever happens. We are so used to this, this season."[/b][/p][embed guid="7381d127-5bb7-4ab0-b1c4-3d482f62d058" url="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2045145621883990335" social-type="twitter" /][p]Arteta also suggested 16-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/max-dowman/WzLvGkGO/"]Max Dowman[/a], who became the Premier League’s youngest scorer in March, could feature.[/p][p][b]"He will be ready, I am sure. You throw him in any context and this kid, you know what he will be delivering,"[/b] he said.[/p][p]Arsenal are chasing their first Premier League title ‌in 22 years, and Arteta stressed the importance of getting all ​three points on Sunday to keep their title bid on ‌track.[/p][p][b]"It is certainly the most important game, as it is the next one. We have earned the right to be in this position, to be challenging,"[/b] he said.[/p][p][b]"We are not going to spend one second about that (playing for a draw). We ⁠prepare every game to win ⁠and that is why we ‌are where we are."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/?mid=U3M9iQJ6"]Follow the match with Flashscore here.[/a][/p]