Arsenal predicted line-up vs. Everton: Bukayo Saka faces fitness battle ahead of title decider
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Arsenal are just one game away from winning the Premier League title for the first time in 20 years this Sunday – and while they will need a favour from West Ham United to make it happen, they will still go into the final day of the season knowing that a win over Everton will give them a chance.
The bad news is that key player Bukayo Saka is an injury doubt after picking up a knock in the recent 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford – but the good news is that there are few other apparent injury issues heading into the title deciding game at the Emirates.
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Hide AdWe’ve collected all of the latest team news and injury updates below for you, and offered up our prediction for Mikel Arteta’s starting line-up ahead of the biggest game in Arsenal’s recent history. And if you’re looking for some information ahead of the final weekend of the Fantasy Premier League season, you can also find our high-flying fantasy manager’s regular advice column by clicking here.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Arteta is unlikely to make major changes at the back ahead of such a massive match, and is expected to continue with a back four of Ben White, Gabriel Magalhães, William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu, with the Japanese international currently preferred to Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior.
The only player whose fitness is known to be in doubt is summer signing Jurriën Timber, who suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury on the opening day of the season against Nottingham Forest and hasn’t featured in the first team since. Timber has returned to training and has played twice for the reserve team – scoring a fine goal on his first game back against Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League 2 – but has yet to make the matchday squad.
Arteta told the media recently that Timber’s match readiness is “a question that can only be resolved by throwing him on the pitch and we will see what happens, we have to try to nail that decision.”
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There are no new injury scares in the heart of Arsenal’s midfield, at least, with the only question being whether Arteta continues to field Ghanaian midfield Thomas Partey alongside Declan Rice. Partey has been preferred to Jorginho in recent matches, although he was taken off for the Italian late on against Manchester United.
Forwards
By far the biggest question mark of the weekend hangs over the head of Bukayo Saka. Arsenal’s star forward was sent crashing into the advertising hoardings by a Sofyan Amrabat challenge in the closing minutes of the match at Old Trafford – and although Saka attempted to continue, he soon went down again and was taken off for the end of the game.
Arteta has, however, suggested that there won’t be any lasting impact from the knock – he simply told the media that “he should be fine” and clearly expected the England international to be ready to start. The only other question is whether Arteta starts with Leandro Trossard on the left flank – the Belgian has started the last six matches but been withdrawn in all of them. Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli will be pushing for his place and may feature if Saka can’t make it.
Raya; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, White; Rice, Partey, Ødegaard; Trossard, Havertz, Saka.
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