Charles Watts says £200k-a-week Arsenal star a ‘real doubt’ v Manchester City

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Arsenal will need to hit the ground running immediately after the international break, with arguably the toughest fixture in English football now looming for the Gunners.

On Sunday, Mikel Arteta‘s Arsenal head to the Etihad Stadium to take on reigning Premier League champions Manchester City.

The Gunners pushed Man City for most of last season, but injuries – such as the one William Saliba suffered – ended up hampering the north Londoners’ title tilt.

Now, with Arsenal once again challenging for the Premier League title ahead of Sunday’s crunch clash, injury issues are sadly back on the agenda for the Gunners.

Arsenal trio Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes remain doubts ahead of the Man City match.

Now, journalist and Arsenal expert Charles Watts has published an update on CaughtOffside regarding the Gunners trio’s fitness issues.

The fitness situation regarding Arsenal trio Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes

And while “the hope right now” is that Saka will be passed fit to face the Citizens, things aren’t looking so good for Martinelli and Magalhaes.

“Martinelli’s foot injury is far more of a concern,” said Watts. “He was on crutches the night of the Porto game and so he is a real doubt.

“You would think Leandro Trossard would start if Martinelli misses out, although Gabriel Jesus is an option on the left, especially as I expect Kai Havertz to keep his place as the central striker.

“Elsewhere, Takehiro Tomiyasu should be involved in the squad, but Gabriel Magalhaes is in a similar position to Martinelli.

“It will be touch and go, but Arsenal hope he will shake off the injury that saw him withdraw from the Brazil squad.”

Martinelli is a top talent who is ‘unstoppable‘ on his day and, as such, he’d be a big miss for Arsenal were he unable to make the City game.

However, the Gunners’ strength in depth is such that two top players can step in on the left if the £200,000-a-week star doesn’t make the match.

Let’s hope that Arsenal can get as clean a bill of health as possible ahead of a match that could well define where the 2023/24 Premier League title goes.