Saka Set for Palace Clash as Arteta Dismisses Injury Fears
Arsenal fans can breathe a little easier Bukayo Saka’s injury scare isn’t serious, and manager Mikel Arteta says the star winger has a “good chance” to face Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.
Saka hobbled off during Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Ipswich after being fouled by Leif Davis, who was later sent off. While the sight of Saka limping sparked fears especially with a Champions League semi-final against PSG loomingArteta has now calmed the nerves.
“We have to wait and see how he reacts in training, but it’s nothing too serious,” Arteta told reporters on Tuesday. “If we want to, he has a good chance to play tomorrow.”
Despite Arsenal being well behind in the Premier League title race 13 points adrift of leaders Liverpool, Arteta isn’t planning to rest players just yet. “They are at their best when they are playing,” he said. “If they are fit and want to play, they should play.”
With no other fixtures before Arsenal’s huge clash against Paris Saint-Germain, Arteta sees the Palace game as an opportunity to keep rhythm and sharpness. “It’s good to have a little gap after,” he said. “We’re short on numbers, so this break helps.”
Arteta confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori is still out, and Jorginho will be missing for a few more weeks. Even so, the focus remains on finishing strong in the league and spoiling Liverpool’s early title party.
If Arsenal beat Palace, they’ll keep Liverpool’s champagne on ice at least for a few more days. “Our job is to win,” Arteta added. “The rest, we can’t control.”