Donnarumma absent as Arsenal brace for Manchester City test
Arsenal will be without Bukayo Saka for Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash with Manchester City, and donnarumma is the key name in the discussion as Mikel Arteta shapes his attack around the injury setback. Arteta confirmed on Friday in Eastern Time that Saka will not feature at the Etihad after the winger was sidelined with an Achilles problem. Noni Madueke remains a late decision after coming off in Wednesday’s draw with Sporting, leaving Arsenal with a major selection issue on the right side.
Arteta confirms Saka is out
Arteta made the situation plain in his pre-match comments: “Bukayo is out, that is for sure. ” The Arsenal manager had previously hoped the England international might return in “days not weeks, ” but that possibility did not materialize before the City match. Saka has not played since the 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City on March 22, and he has since missed league and European fixtures.
The absence matters because Sunday’s trip to Manchester City could shape Arsenal’s title pursuit. Arsenal are six points clear of City, but Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand and can cut that gap with a win this weekend. For Arsenal, even a draw would be valuable in a race that has grown tighter by the week.
Madueke a late call, Dowman an option
Madueke’s status is still unsettled after he was forced off during the second half against Sporting. Arteta said another training session would help determine whether the winger can be involved, adding that the injury “didn’t look that bad after the game” and that the club is hopeful he can still be available.
If Madueke cannot go, Arteta said 16-year-old Max Dowman could be asked to start on the right against one of Arsenal’s biggest rivals. The manager was direct about the teenager’s readiness, saying, “He will be ready, ” and adding that Dowman can deliver in any context.
Why the decision matters now
Saka had already withdrawn from the England squad in March because of the Achilles issue, and Arteta later said the club were handling the problem “to protect the player first of all and then to perform as well as he possibly can. ” The same update also made clear he had only just started doing some work again and was still not available. That leaves Arsenal managing both the short-term pressure of a title clash and the longer-term need to avoid pushing the winger too quickly.
Arteta’s latest update leaves little doubt about the immediate picture: donnarumma is part of the wider story only because Arsenal’s right-side options are now under the spotlight, with Saka out, Madueke uncertain, and the City match arriving at a decisive moment. The next checkpoint is Sunday’s lineup, when Arsenal will reveal how much attacking risk they are willing to take at the Etihad in ET.
