Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said winger Noni Madueke has responded well after being forced off in Wednesday’s Champions League match against Sporting and could be available for Sunday’s crucial Premier League match against Manchester City.
Arsenal are six points ahead of second-placed City, who have a game in hand. Despite a 2-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth last week, Arteta said his side remain confident even with winger Bukayo Saka and midfielder Mikel Merino sidelined.
Saka has not played since the League Cup final defeat to City last month, while Merino has been sidelined since undergoing foot surgery in February.
“Bukayo is out, that’s for sure, Mikel is out too,” Arteta told reporters on Friday. «Tomorrow we have another training. Madueke is quite positive and he is a player who is going through pain. I am hopeful that he can be available, but we will see if he can train.»
«Saka is just starting to do some things. Let’s look at that progress and how quickly we can move through it.»
Arteta said Arsenal will assess several players who have missed recent matches, including Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, as the squad looks set to be strengthened this weekend.
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«Some players are quite close. The turnaround time is short. We will try to push everyone tomorrow,» the Spaniard added. «If they’re in good shape, they’ll be part of us. If they’re not, they won’t.»
«We will have a solution no matter what happens. We are so used to this this season.»
Arteta also suggested that 16-year-old Max Dowman, who became the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer in March, could feature.
«He’ll be ready, I’m sure. You throw him in any context and this kid, you know what he’ll deliver,» he said.
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.
«It is certainly the most important match, as it is the next one. We have earned the right to be in this position, to be a challenge,» he said.
«We’re not going to spend a second on that (playing for a draw). We prepare every game to win and that’s why we are where we are.»
Published on April 17, 2026
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