Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has refused to give too much away surrounding the fitness of Bukayo Saka for Saturday's Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.
The England winger has found it difficult to maintain peak fitness over the past couple of weeks, firstly having to cede his place in the England squad owing to an apparent muscle issue.
Saka was able to shake off the concern in time to start against Manchester City on Easter Sunday, but he got little change out of Josko Gvardiol and was substituted late on with a suspected knock.
Arteta played down the 22-year-old's issue as fatigue, and he was seen in training with his teammates prior to the 2-0 win over Luton Town in midweek, although he failed to make the matchday squad.
It was subsequently revealed that Saka had suffered a minor setback in training before Wednesday's game, but Arteta expressed hope that the winger would be given the thumbs-up to return at the Amex this weekend.
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Arteta not concerned about possible Saka burnout
Speaking to the media in Friday's pre-match press conference, which was held before the Gunners' training session, Arteta said that Saka's availability would be determined once his players had taken to the field for practice later in the day.
"We will know now. We have a training session in a few hours and we will know whether he is fit or not. Everyone else seems OK," arsenal.com quotes the Gunners boss as saying.
When asked whether he was concerned about the possibility of Saka experiencing burnout towards the end of the campaign, Arteta brushed off such worries and affirmed that it is normal for a player to soldier on with a few bumps and bruises.
"I'm super positive, I think he's going to fly and be so decisive. Because he's so strong, and how much he wants it. When you talk to him and how excited he is about what is coming, he wants to be there," Arteta added.
"He's getting better and better and it's normal to have little niggles. You have kicks and he's gone through a lot of that in the last two or three years and now look at the way he's performing."
Arsenal to have just one absentee for Brighton clash?
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With Saka undergoing a late fitness test and believed to be in with a strong chance of recovering in time for Saturday, Arsenal may only be without long-term ACL victim Jurrien Timber for the trip south.
It has been almost eight months since the ex-Ajax man's Premier League debut ended in agony, but he is still making excellent progress in training and could soon be involved with the Under-21s.
Arsenal travel to Brighton in the knowledge that another three points would take them back to the top of the Premier League table over Liverpool, who do not play again until Sunday's showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Gunners were comfortable 2-0 victors over Brighton when the sides locked horns at the Emirates Stadium back in December, but not since the 2020-21 season have Arteta's men done the double over the Seagulls.
Ben Knapton
