Bukayo Saka has overcome his sickness issue and looks set to be available for Arsenal’s match against Brentford on Saturday, according to a report.
Simon Collings reports for The Standard that Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka is expected to be fit for Saturday’s game against Brentford, despite being withdrawn at half-time of Monday’s match away to Sheffield United.
Saka had been excellent in the first half of the Sheffield United match, constantly threatening the hosts.
The winger hit the bar in the first couple of minutes, then forced an own goal by Jayden Bogle 10 minutes later. Later in the half, Saka assisted Declan Rice’s goal for 5-0.
Yet the 22-year-old was withdrawn at half-time, with Mikel Arteta confirming afterwards that the player was feeling sick.
Thankfully, that illness appears to have cleared up now, and Saka will be involved in training on Thursday.
Another concern from the Sheffield United match was around Gabriel Martinelli, with Arteta revealing that the winger had suffered a cut to his foot.
The Standard report that Martinelli is due to be assessed, so there’s no clarity yet on whether he’ll be available on Saturday.
You wouldn’t think a cut would keep a player out for too long, so the only concern is that it turns out to be something more serious.
Arsenal host FC Porto in their Champions League last-16 second leg next Tuesday, and they’ll certainly want Martinelli back for that.
Arteta had a positive update on Takehiro Tomiyasu’s situation in his post-match press conference on Monday, with the defender still to return to club action after the AFC Asian Cup.
“He’s very close, he’s already doing something on the grass and hopefully we’re going to have him very close with us,” Arteta said.
The Athletic report that Tomiyasu is edging closer to a return.
Arsenal’s only other two injuries are to Jurrien Timber and Oleksandr Zinchenko, and neither player seems particularly far off a return, though Timber is unlikely to be back before the international break at least.
David Raya will also be ineligible for Arsenal’s next game, as the Gunners face the loanee’s parent side, Brentford.