Mikel Arteta has confirmed Bukayo Saka will miss Arsenal's crucial Premier League title showdown against Manchester City due to an Achilles injury. The Gunners travel to the Etihad Stadium holding a six-point lead over City, who have a game in hand, as they chase their first league crown in 22 years.

Arteta insists Arsenal will play to win despite the absence of their star winger, saying "we prepare every game to win, that's why we are where we are." The match marks Arsenal's first visit to City since their dramatic 2-2 draw in September 2024, when Erling Haaland told Arteta to "stay humble" after City's stoppage-time equaliser against ten-man Arsenal.

With six games remaining, Arteta dismissed suggestions the title race could effectively end with a City defeat, stating "there are six games to go" and emphasizing the difficulty of winning any Premier League match. He expressed hope that Noni Madueke could recover from a knee problem while Jurriën Timber, Martin Ødegaard, and Riccardo Calafiori continue to be assessed.