Bukayo Saka may be in contention to feature for Arsenal when they welcome Newcastle United to the Emirates on Saturday.
Arsenal will be desperate to return to winning ways and get the Premier League title charge back on track when they host Newcastle United at the Emirates on Saturday evening. Mikel Arteta has received positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Riccardo Calafiori and Bukayo Saka are closing in on returning after missing the last few games due to their fitness issues. However, Jurrien Timber remains in the treatment room, and he has yet to resume training.
The Dutch defender accompanies Mikel Merino (foot) in the treatment room. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Arteta provided fitness updates on Timber, Calafiori, and Saka.
The Arsenal manager said, “Bukayo [Saka] probably is going to be in the squad, so good news. We have given him some time because there was a moment that he was struggling to sustain the performances because he wasn’t comfortable at all and we’ve done that so he had the right treatment, the right space.”
“He had some time as well for himself and now it’s the most important part of the season and he’s back with us. He was in great spirit today. You can see that the sun is shining and that he’s back with the team because he had a different energy.”
“He’s been through a tough period. We certainly missed him, and he’s back with us now. [Calafiori is] probably be in the squad as well. Jurrien not in the squad. He’s been much better this season than he was in the previous season. He was really unlucky in the previous season that he had last year as well. He’s putting so much into it as well, and hopefully we can keep him fit.”
David Raya is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Arsenal lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Newcastle United on Saturday. The backline will feature Cristhian Mosquera, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Piero Hincapie.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi in the double pivot. Martin Odegaard will reprise the no. 10 role, with Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke being the two wide attackers. Finally, Kai Havertz will lead the line for the home side against Newcastle. So, Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres will be among the backup options on the bench for the Gunners.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Odegaard, Eze; Havertz
