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Premier League | Gameweek 28
Mar 9, 2024 at 5.30pm UK
Emirates Stadium
BL

Arsenal
2 - 1
Brentford

Rice (19'), Havertz (86')
Magalhaes (10'), Havertz (45+2')
FT(HT: 1-1)
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Onyeka (4'), Jorgensen (21'), Wissa (72'), Collins (90+9')

Mikel Arteta "positive" over Saka, Martinelli fitness for Brentford clash

:Headline: Mikel Arteta 'positive' over Saka, Martinelli fitness for Brentford clash:
Mikel Arteta is "pretty positive" that Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will both be fit for Arsenal's Premier League London derby with Brentford on Saturday.
Sports Mole

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is "pretty positive" that Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will be available for Saturday's Premier League London derby with Brentford at the Emirates.

Both wingers failed to complete the full 90 in Monday's 6-0 demolition job of Sheffield United, where Saka registered two assists in the first half before succumbing to sickness.

Meanwhile, Martinelli - who netted the Gunners' third goal at Bramall Lane - sustained a cut to his foot in the second half, and the Brazilian could not put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off by the medical team.

Arteta played down the severity of their concerns after the game, though, and speaking to the media in Thursday's press conference, the Gunners boss expressed optimism over their respective fitness levels for Saturday.

"We got some players back last Monday, and then we had Martinelli and Bukayo with little issues, but we are pretty positive that hopefully they can be part of that. We'll have to wait and see how they are tomorrow," arsenal.com quotes Arteta as saying.

The six-goal slaughter of Sheffield United also saw Thomas Partey make his long-awaited return after nearly five whole months out with a thigh injury, but Jurrien Timber (ACL), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knock) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) all missed out.

Timber is gradually progressing with his recovery but is still some weeks away from first-team consideration, while there was no update on Zinchenko or Tomiyasu, although neither full-back should be sidelined for much longer.

Should Zinchenko and Tomiyasu make full recoveries in time for Saturday, Timber would be one of only two absentees for the Gunners, who will be without first-choice goalkeeper and Brentford loanee David Raya this weekend.

As a result, Aaron Ramsdale will make just his sixth Premier League appearance of the campaign and his first since the reverse fixture against Brentford, where he kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win despite a couple of howlers.

Following talk of a possible January exit, which failed to materialise, and Ramsdale's father claiming that his son has "lost his smile" in North London, Arteta hailed the Englishman's "brilliant" attitude as he waits patiently for his next top-flight opportunity.

"It is what it is, he is fully prepared, he trains really well every day. He is desperate to play like the rest of the boys who haven't had that many opportunities and Saturday is a great day for him," the Spaniard added.

"He's been brilliant, he's been really good, really supportive, really pushing everything in training like I expected and it's a joy to have two top goalkeepers in the team.

"One of the toughest things to deal with is for players who don't have the amount of time that they deserve. Not only Aaron, but with many of those, but we have an unbelievable group of players.

"We try to be straight and explain things and be close to them and give them the support that we want and then, when they have the opportunity, at the end they want to contribute to the team the best possible way and that's what Aaron will try to do on Saturday."

Victory for Arsenal against Brentford will see them rise above Manchester City and Liverpool into first place in the Premier League table before the current top two lock horns in Sunday's mouthwatering Anfield battle, where a draw would keep the Gunners at the summit owing to their superior goal difference.

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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Manchester CityMan City33237380324876
3Liverpool35229477364175
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd34166125251154
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle341651374551953
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham351310125665-949
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Wolverhampton WanderersWolves35137154855-746
11Bournemouth34129134960-1145
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton331111115254-244
13Fulham35127165155-443
14Crystal Palace351010154557-1240
15Everton35128153748-1136
16Brentford3598185260-835
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3567224877-2925
19Burnley3559213870-3224
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3537253497-6316
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