Arsenal have now been informed of the chances that one Manchester City star stands of being fit for Sunday’s clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal and Manchester City both have their own injury concerns heading into this weekend’s encounter.
Gabriel Martinelli is a doubt for Arsenal. On top of that, Mikel Arteta is still waiting on a “late call” to determine whether Bukayo Saka will be fit to start at the Etihad Stadium. Both of those players would otherwise be nailed-on starters, and are key figures in the Gunners’ first-choice attacking line up.
Saka dropped out of the England squad during the international break. Meanwhile, Martinelli was recently spotted on crutches at the Emirates Stadium. As such, it will likely be touch-and-go as to whether either of the wide men will be ready to be named in starting XI.
Will Kyle Walker be fit to face Arsenal?
In Manchester, Pep Guardiola will be sweating on the fitness of Kyle Walker. As reported by the BBC, the £175,000-per-week right-back picked up an injury whilst on England duty against Brazil.
According to journalist Lyall Thomas, reporting on X, “Kyle Walker having a scan on hamstring problem picked up with England. 50/50 for Man City v Arsenal as it stands.”
The best case scenario for the north London outfit, of course, is that Walker is unavailable for Sunday’s match, but that both Saka and Martinelli are fit to play. Martinelli, in particular, will be relishing the opportunity to exploit the 33-year-old Manchester City full-back’s potential absence.
Walker is one of the few defenders with the kind of pace needed to keep up with the Brazilian. Without him on the field, Manchester City will be vulnerable to Martinelli’s speed in that part of the pitch.
How important is Manchester City v Arsenal?
There can be no denying the importance of this fixture. The Premier League title race is currently so tight with Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool all vying to come out on top at the end of the campaign.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes that Arsenal need to take responsibility for their own destiny and beat Manchester City themselves, rather than hoping that the reigning champions will drop points elsewhere.
However, it is worth remembering that the title will not be won or lost by Arsenal or Manchester City this weekend. There are still plenty of fixtures and tough tests to overcome before any club can be crowned champions.