Arsenal v Man City injury & suspension news: Two doubts, three out & Bukayo Saka latest

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will hope to have wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli available for Sunday’s top-of-the-table Premier League clash against Manchester City.

The champions once again sit at the division’s summit ahead of the trip to their closest rivals from last season, with Arsenal a point behind after seven games. And the Gunners’ chances of heading into the October international break in top spot could be dependent on the availability of their two influential attackers.

Saka has had ongoing injury issues over recent weeks and was replaced in the first half of Tuesday’s Champions League loss to Lens. Arteta admitted after the game that the problem doesn’t look good’, although Saka was included in the England squad less than 48 hours later, giving hope to Arsenal fans that their star man may be available this weekend.

As for Martinelli, he has not played since 17 September and has missed the last five games in all competitions. The Brazilian is expected to miss out again against City and, even if fit, it seems unlikely he’ll be ready to come straight into the starting XI.

Jurrien Timber is the only guaranteed absentee for the London club, and the defender is expected to be out until 2024 due an ACL injury he sustained on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. Thomas Partey, Fabio Vieira, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus are all available following recent knocks.

As for City, Pep Guardiola will be without Rodri for a second consecutive Premier League match. The 27-year-old was sent off in the recent win over Nottingham Forest and missed the subsequent matches against Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His loss will be keenly felt in midfield and the Spaniard missed just two league matches last season, one of which came after City had been crowned champions. In Rodri’s absence, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes, Kalvin Phillips and Rico Lewis are all options to start in the middle.

Bernardo Silva and John Stones were back in the squad for Wednesday’s Champions League win over RB Leipzig, although the latter was an unused substitute. Kevin De Bruyne is the only other City absentee, and the Belgian has been ruled out until the new year with a long-term hamstring issue.

Doubts: Saka, Martinelli (Arsenal). Out: Timber (Arsenal); Rodri, De Bruyne (City).