Gunners given two days off after City humbling
Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing Arsenal squad returned to training yesterday after they were afforded 48 hours off following their crushing defeat at Manchester City.
Arteta has exploited a rare six-day break between matches to allow his players time to recharge ahead of a crucial period for the club in their quest for a first Premier League crown in 22 years.
Arsenal’s match against Newcastle at the Emirates on Saturday will be their 55th of a relentless season which will certainly peak at 62 games, and possibly one more, depending on whether they reach next month’s Champions League final.
Arsenal were displaced at the top of the Premier League last night by Manchester City, who beat Burnley 1-0 to follow up their 2-1 victory over the Gunners on Sunday.
The victory at Turf Moor ended Arsenal’s’ 200-day reign at the summit this season with just five matches left.
In all, Arteta’s Arsenal, runnersup for the past three campaigns, have spent 539 days at the top of the table, with the Spaniard still awaiting his second trophy as manager following the club’s FA Cup triumph in 2020.
Arteta will hope to be boosted by the imminent return of Bukayo Saka following his period out with an Achilles injury.
Saka’s absence from the team has coincided with a downturn in form, with Arsenal claiming just one win across their last six matches without the influential winger.
However, there is an outside chance Saka could return this weekend against Newcastle. Defender Jurrien Timber, sidelined since he limped off with a groin problem against Everton on 14 March, is also closing in on a comeback.
Meanwhile, Marli Salmon has committed his future to Arsenal by signing a pre-contract agreement that will see him finalise professional terms when he turns 17 in August.
The defender has made four firstteam appearances since his debut as a substitute in December’s Champions League win at Club Bruges.