Arsenal is concerned about 4 injured stars ahead of the major clash with Man City

Arsenal is facing worries about the squad situation as four stars are dealing with injury issues before the extremely important away trip to Man City's stadium in the Premier League, with Bukayo Saka's case being the most notable.

The English player is racing against time to prove his fitness is sufficient to play, but this task is considered extremely difficult. Currently, Saka is sidelined due to an Achilles tendon issue and has not played for the Gunners since the 0-2 loss to Man City in the Carabao Cup final on March 22.

Although it is known that the England international is trying his utmost to return to the pitch as soon as possible, his injury, believed to be Achilles tendonitis, is quite sensitive. If the recovery process is rushed hastily, Arsenal risks losing Saka for the remainder of the season.

The 24-year-old player was present at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening and came onto the pitch to congratulate his teammates after the team secured a spot in the Champions League semifinals. The possibility of Saka participating this weekend has not been completely ruled out, but to have a chance to play, he needs to show clear progress and return to training in the coming days.

Coach Mikel Arteta shared on Tuesday: "It's an issue he has been carrying for some time. It's an Achilles tendon injury. The situation is progressing, and hopefully it's measured in days rather than weeks. But we need to see his response as the workload increases and the recovery process intensifies."

The player considered as a replacement option for Saka, Noni Madueke, also worries Arsenal's coaching staff as he left the pitch in the second half of the match against Sporting CP due to a knee issue. However, there are cautious optimistic signals as the 24-year-old did not go into the tunnel for treatment and later completed the fan appreciation round with the whole team, suggesting the injury may not be too serious.

Meanwhile, sources close to left-back Riccardo Calafiori indicate he still has a chance to return for the match against Man City following a recent collision. Calafiori appeared quite relaxed at the Emirates, even spotted dancing near the players' lounge area after the 0-0 draw with Sporting CP, despite having an issue in the previous match.

Jurrien Timber was also present at the stadium and after the 1-2 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday, he confirmed he is "in the recovery process" when passing through the mixed interview zone. However, the Dutch defender declined to reveal the return timeline after the groin injury suffered in the 2-0 win over Everton on March 14. When asked if he could be ready for the clash with Man City, Timber briefly replied: "I can't say yet. We'll wait and see."

Additionally, captain Martin Odegaard confirmed in Arsenal's internal news that he was affected in the knee during the 1-0 win over Sporting in Lisbon last week. The Norwegian midfielder stated he is pushing himself to the maximum to return as quickly as possible, aiming to participate in the upcoming crucial match.