Arsenal will be without Bukayo Saka for Sunday’s crucial Premier League title clash with Manchester City, Mikel Arteta has confirmed.
The England international hasn’t played since the 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City on March 22, missing the losses against Southampton and Bournemouth as well as both legs of the Sporting CP Champions League quarter-final.
Arteta said before the Sporting second leg that he was hopeful Saka could return from his Achilles problem in “days not weeks” but confirmed during Friday’s press conference he would not feature against City.
“Bukayo is out, that is for sure,” the Arsenal manager said.
Noni Madueke was forced off during the second half of Wednesday’s draw with Sporting and Arteta said a late decision would be made on the England international ahead of Sunday’s fixture at the Etihad.
“We have another training session,” Arteta added. “It didn’t look that bad after the game. I am hopeful he can be available but we have to wait and see.”
With Saka out and Madueke a doubt, 16-year-old Max Dowman could be selected to start on the right for Arsenal against their Premier League title rivals.
Arsenal are six points clear of Manchester City as they bid to end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title, but Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand and can narrow the gap with victory this weekend. Arteta said Dowman would be prepared for such an occasion.
“He will be ready,” the Arsenal head coach added. “You throw him in any context, you know what he is going to be delivering.”
Dowman is an option to start on the right for Arsenal (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Saka’s injury forced him to withdraw from the England squad in March, and on April 14, Arteta said it was “something he was carrying a while. It was an Achilles issue. There is progression, but hopefully (he will be back in) days not weeks.”
Speaking on Friday, Arteta explained Arsenal were handling his injury “to protect the player first of all and then to (enable him to) perform as well as he possibly can”.
Asked if the winger had returned to training, Arteta replied: “He is just starting to do some stuff, so let’s see how quickly we can go through that progression and then wait but at the moment he’s not available.”
Saka, 24, remains one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted players, but has had to contend with various spells out through injury in recent seasons.
He tore his hamstring in December 2024, an injury that required surgery. Saka missed 101 days of action, returning on April 1, 2025. The winger sustained another hamstring injury in August 2025, but only missed three games.
Saka has scored nine goals and provided seven assists in all competitions this season, in what has been a down year for the forward in terms of goal contributions.
“I spoke to him,” Arteta said in early April when asked about Saka’s form. “I said: ‘In the end, everybody is going to remember what we’ve done in the last part of the season and in this final push of eight weeks, what we’re going to deliver individually, and that’s where now we can impact. I’m certain of that (he will find his best form).”
The England international signed a new four-year deal with Arsenal in February, committing his future to the north London club until at least 2030.
What does Saka’s absence mean for Arsenal?
Bukayo Saka will always be a big miss for Arsenal no matter the situation. Even if he has not recorded the numbers he has from previous seasons this year, he is able to set the tone in matches for Arteta’s side.
At times, that can be by relentlessly taking on an opposition left-back and sometimes attracting up to three players towards him to create space for team-mates.
While Saka will be missed this weekend, his long-term health must be prioritised in this situation. Achilles issues can be difficult to overcome, so if him missing out on this trip to the Etihad prolongs his availability further down the line, it will be the right decision.
Mikel Arteta will take encouragement from the fact that Arsenal have beaten Manchester City twice without Saka before. Both occasions were their home victories in the Premier League in the last two seasons (1-0 in 2023-24 and 5-1 in 2024-25) when Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli started on the right wing.
With that in mind, there are a few ways Arteta could set up on the right wing this weekend.
Could Dowman start against Man City?
Arteta was very bold in saying that Dowman would be ready to start if needed, and the evidence of the 16-year-old’s exploits so far suggest that is true.
Even so, Dowman is yet to start a match in the Premier League, and to do so against Manchester City would be extraordinary. The England Under-19 international was brought on against Liverpool at Anfield earlier this season, but as a milestone, a first Premier League start coming in a potential title-decider is a show of trust on a different level.
There is no questioning Dowman’s ability, or willingness to take anybody on, but Arteta may opt for a more senior option from the start — especially considering how well Dowman impacts matches off the bench.
Madueke would be the primary option to start on the right wing, but if he is not feeling ready enough to play, Gabriel Martinelli could also work there.
The Brazil international has impressed in cameos on that side. Without the need to cut back on his stronger foot, he has been able to be more direct both with runs in behind (as he did to equalise against City earlier this season) and with crosses for Viktor Gyokeres.