Will Saka play for Arsenal vs Man City? Why aren’t Rodri, De Bruyne and Stones playing for City?

The fitness of Bukayo Saka is the major question mark surrounding Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s team selection against Manchester City today, as the Gunners prepare to host the champions in a box-office Premier League clash.

Arsenal head into the matchday-eight game sitting third in the English top flight, one point behind second-placed City. The visitors, in turn, are two points off leaders Tottenham, who have already played this weekend.

Saka forced off in UCL in midweek

Saka, who has started all but one of Arsenal’s 11 games in all competitions this season, limped out of the North Londoners’ Champions League defeat to Lens on Tuesday with a muscle injury.

“He is in contention, we’ll see how he progresses from here to Sunday,” Arteta told reporters on Friday. “Obviously he had to leave the pitch, that’s never good news, but let’s see how he recovers.”

Could Martinelli return from injury?

Saka’s fellow forward Gabriel Martinelli is also doubtful for today’s game at the Emirates Stadium, having missed the last five matches since suffering a hamstring injury against Everton in mid-September.

Arsenal will definitely be without defender Jurrien Timber, who is recovering from a torn ACL, but Thomas Partey will again be in the squad after making the bench in Lens in midweek. The midfielder hasn’t featured since August because of a groin injury.

City without Rodri, De Bruyne and Stones

As for City, they will be missing key midfielder Rodri, who serves the final game of his three-match suspension for his sending-off against Nottingham Forest late last month.

Another star man absent from the visitors’ midfield is Kevin de Bruyne, who remains out with a hamstring problem he picked up in City’s matchday-one league win at Burnley.

“I see [De Bruyne] every day and he’s getting better, and his mood is good. Hopefully [he will be back] sooner than expected,” City head coach Pep Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

Guardiola also confirmed that John Stones, who is returning from a hip issue that has kept him out of City’s Premier League season so far, is “not ready to play” against Arsenal.

Guardiola glad to welcome Bernardo back

In better news for the Champions League holders, however, Bernardo Silva is in the frame to start after making his comeback from a knee injury in Wednesday’s European win over RB Leipzig.

“He’s an adaptive player, can play in a few positions, many, many positions,” Guardiola told reporters. “He’s a huge competitor. He loves to win. He’s incredibly hungry… and upset. It doesn’t look like that from the outside. But when he loses a game or misses a pass or simple things, he’s angry with himself because he’s so competitive.”

Arsenal vs Manchester City: when, where, how to watch?

Arsenal host Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in London today, Sunday 8 October 2023, at 11:30am ET/8:30am PT.

Viewers in the US can stream the game on Peacock and fuboTV.

Arsenal vs Manchester City: live with AS USA

You’ll also have the option of following live-text commentary of Arsenal vs City right here at AS USA. Roddy Cons will be building up to the game from about an hour and a half ahead of kick-off, before talking you through the action.