Mikel Arteta has hinted Bukayo Saka could make a return to action on Monday evening as Arsenal head across to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace in what could be a must win encounter.
With fifth-placed Tottenham due to host Newcastle United some 24 hours earlier, a positive result would prove vital in maintaining the charge for fourth place in the Premier League and the guaranteed Champions League spot that will accompany it.
Saka was withdrawn from an England training camp after testing positive for Covid-19 and missed the two International friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast but has reportedly made progress in recent days
Areta told a press conference on Thursday: "Bukayo is feeling good, he’s training today, hopefully, if he’s still feeling as he was yesterday
“I don’t know how much he would have played (for England) but sometimes when a player is in a good moment, you don’t want to stop it.
“He had time to rest and recover and he’ll be trying again in the next few days to again hit the form that he was in.”
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale also missed an England callup though his muscle problem has been somewhat more long-standing having occurred during the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at the Emirates.
The manager added: “He wanted to play against Villa but it’s a significant injury and he has had to take his time. Aaron is a doubt. He is still not feeling great. He hasn’t trained yet so we don’t know what he will be able to do on Monday.”
That decision may be more difficult for Arteta given deputy Bernd Leno managed to keep a clean sheet in that match.
More likely to be in the shake-up for selection is Japanese left-back Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Absent from the last eight matches, a calf injury has been cited as the latest in a long line of pieces of bad luck to have befallen the 23-year-old since he arrived at the club from Bologna.
Arteta added: “I think it will be close. He has been training more and more and he will be joining us for some sessions this week.
“He’s had a recurrent injury in the other calf which is strange and difficult to predict. He’s been through a lot in the last two years with all the Covid, all the games he’s played and the transition to a different league where the intensity is completely different.
“We can find the right reasons and hope we don’t go through the situation again.“
