Arsenal XI vs Fulham: Saka injury latest, predicted lineup, confirmed team news for Premier League

Evening Standard

·1. April 2025

Arsenal XI vs Fulham: Saka injury latest, predicted lineup, confirmed team news for Premier League

Star man could come straight back into side for first appearance since December

Your matchday briefing on Arsenal, featuring team news and expert analysis from Simon Collings

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Bukayo Saka is tonight in line to make his long-awaited return for Arsenal as Fulham visit in the Premier League.

Saka has not featured since suffering a hamstring tear against Crystal Palace on December 21 that required surgery.

But the Gunners appeared to receive a boost last week when the club’s official social media channels shared photos of Saka in training.

And Mikel Arteta replied “yes” when asked whether Saka could start against Fulham.

“Bukayo is ready to go,” Arteta said. “All the careful things are already done. Now it’s about putting him on the grass in the right moments. But he’s pushing because he really wants it. We’ve had to hold him back, even.”

It remains to be seen whether Arteta throws him straight into the starting line-up, but the Gunners’ head coach appeared relaxed about Saka’s situation after the international break. If Saka starts, it is likely to see Ethan Nwaneri return to the bench, a week after scoring his first goal for the England Under-21s.

Bukayo Saka has been out since December with a hamstring injury

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Arsenal suffered their latest concern in an injury-plagued season when defender Riccardo Calafiori sustained a knee injury during a nasty slip while playing for Italy in the first leg of their heavyweight Nations League quarter-final tie against Germany in Milan last week.

Arteta said on Monday: “Riccardo unfortunately picked up a knee injury with the national team.

“Really unfortunate the way it happened. It could have been much worse. Hopefully it’s going to be a matter of weeks, but we have to see how that injury evolves.”

Jurrien Timber is available again after illness, but trio Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kai Havertz are out for the rest of the season with long-term injuries.

Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber; Gabriel, Saliba, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Merino, Martinelli

Injured: Calafiori, Jesus, Tomiyasu, Havertz

Date and time: 7:45pm BST, Tuesday April 1, 2025

Venue: Emirates Stadium, London

TV channel and live stream: The match is not televised in the UK