Mikel Arteta has provided an update on the fitness of Bukayo Saka ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Luton in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.
Saka has been struggling with a muscular issue and withdrew from England’s fixtures with Brazil and Belgium during March’s international break.
The winger featured as Arsenal drew 0-0 with title rivals Manchester City at the weekend, but produced an ineffective performance before his withdrawal for Gabriel Martinelli on 78 minutes.
Arteta admitted his substitution was a precaution he looks to manage the heavy work-load on the 22-year-old, but said he was optimistic that Saka would be fit to feature against Luton at the Emirates.
Saka has scored 13 league goals and provided a further eight assists in the Premier League this season and Arteta is hopeful the ‘robust’ winger will be ok for the title run-in.
“He wasn’t with the national team because he was injured,” Arteta said in his pre-match press conference.
“He had a muscular issue and then he trained very little, then he played [against Man City] and we had to take him off because the risk of reinjuring the player was pretty high.
“Hopefully today he can train and he is good, he’s done it many times. He’s a really robust player and [hopefully] we can have him for the rest of the games.
“This was more of a muscular issue than a knock but this is a player that has a lot of contact. He has so much minutes under his belt in the last few seasons, and you have to manage him.”
