Arsenal Welcome Back Three Key Players for Man City Showdown, But Star Midfielder Remains Sidelined
Arsenal face Manchester City in a high-profile Premier League encounter this weekend as they aim to secure their third consecutive home victory to begin the campaign.
Prior to kickoff, the Gunners received encouraging updates regarding three crucial players: William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Ben White following respective fitness concerns.
Saliba suffered an ankle injury during pre-match preparations before Arsenal's defeat to Liverpool three weeks prior. The French centre-back attempted to continue playing, but shortly after the match began he collapsed and was replaced by Cristhian Mosquera. Following his inclusion as an unused substitute against Athletic Club during the week, Saliba has returned to the starting lineup for the first time since August.
Saka had been rehabilitating from a hamstring problem sustained in the season opener versus Leeds United. After being sidelined for several matches, the England winger is named among the substitutes with Noni Madueke retaining his starting position. Ben White has also rejoined the matchday roster after an inconsistent beginning to the new season as he seeks to regain full fitness and compete with Jurrien Timber.
The amount of playing time Saka receives is uncertain, but Arteta would be prudent not to overextend his key winger despite Madueke's encouraging early performances.
The sole absentee from the Arsenal squad remains club captain Martin Ødegaard. The Norwegian playmaker worsened a shoulder problem during last weekend's match against Nottingham Forest and was unavailable for Arsenal's European debut. Similar to the Athletic Club Champions League fixture, Arteta has selected Mikel Merino in a functional midfield trio alongside Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi.
"My shoulder was extremely painful, but I've been managing it daily throughout this week, putting in effort to hopefully be available for today's match. It's the identical shoulder I injured during the Leeds United fixture, essentially the same problem recurring, so it's simply unfortunate timing," Ødegaard commented before the Man City clash.
Arteta has also chosen to deploy Leandro Trossard instead of summer acquisition Eberechi Eze on the left flank. The Belgian made a significant impact as a substitute in European competition, contributing both a goal and assist from the bench.
Arsenal's Confirmed Lineup vs. Man City
(4-3-3): David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori; Mikel Merino, Marti Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres, Leandro Trossard.