Mikel Arteta says Bukayo Saka has a “good chance to play” in Wednesday’s Premier League game against Crystal Palace after confirming the Arsenal winger’s injury is “nothing serious”.
Saka was seen limping after being substituted in the second half of Sunday’s 4-0 win at Ipswich following a first-half foul from Leif Davis that led to the defender’s dismissal.
Although Saka played on for a while after the injury, there were concerns he could be in danger of missing next week’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
But Gunners boss Arteta eased those fears as he said Saka was in contention to face Palace at the Emirates Stadium.
“We have to wait and see how he reacts after (the training) session, but it’s nothing too serious,” he told reporters .“If we want to, I think he would have a good chance to play tomorrow.”
Arteta suggested he would be willing to send out a full-strength team, including Saka, against Palace, even though Arsenal have little to play for in the Premier League.
The north Londoners are 13 points behind leaders Liverpool, who will be crowned champions if Arsenal lose to Palace or if they beat Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday.
“We cannot think in those terms. When the players are fit and available and want to play, they have to play,” Arteta said of his selection dilemma.
“They are at their best when they are playing and they have consistency in their performances and physically they are good, emotionally they are good, their understanding and their rhythm and the way they make decisions is at their best.”
Arsenal will not play again after the Palace game before they face PSG in their first Champions League semi-final since 2009.
The Gunners have never won Europe’s top club competition and last won a trophy five years ago, when they lifted the FA Cup.
Arteta believes the extra rest could be helpful ahead of Arsenal’s biggest European game for 16 years.
“We have more days, the amount of options that we have is not that many…. It’s good to have a little gap because we are really short in numbers,” he said.
Riccardo Calafiori remains sidelined and Jorginho is facing an absence of a few weeks.
Arteta added: “It is what we have. Let’s take the opportunity first of all. Earn the right to win the game tomorrow against a really good side that have a really good record away from home as well and after that we have time to prepare for the (PSG) game really well.”
Second-placed Arsenal can make Arne Slot’s Liverpool wait a few more days for their Premier League title party if they beat Palace.
“Our incentive is to win our game and to do our best to continue with our run that we are in right now, the rest we cannot control,” Arteta said.
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