Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard both missed out on Arsenal’s 1-0 home win over Chelsea last night in the EFL Cup semifinals. After having lost their last four semifinal ties, Arsenal are now back in a final for the first time in six years.
The last one was the 2020 FA Cup, which is the only trophy won by the Gunners during the Mikel Arteta era. However, it is looking like 2025-26 could prove to be a banner season for the North-Londoners.
Arsenal vs Sunderland FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Feb. 8, Stadium of Light, Sunderland, UK
Premier League Standings, Form: Arsenal FC 1st, 53 pts, WDDLWW Sunderland 8th, 36 pts, DLWLW
Result Probability: Arsenal FC win 78% Draw 15% Sunderland win 7%
Arsenal Team News
Let’s get you caught up on the injury report/team news, ahead of the weekend clash vs Sunderland.
Saka could be back for the weekend fixture, or he may be out for a little while longer beyond that; it’s difficult to say with his groin/hip/pelvic region of the body injury.
“He’s OK,” Arteta said yesterday.
“We need to have more tests tomorrow to understand how he is. This game was too short. Let’s hope that it’s not too much.”
Moving on to Odegaard, he only missed the cup clash as a precaution. He should be totally fine for Saturday.
“During the [Leeds] game he felt a little niggle,” Arteta said to Sky Sports after the London derby win. “We tried yesterday but he wasn’t comfortable so let’s see if he’s available for the weekend hopefully.”
With Merino, the story is totally different. He may be out until late April, or perhaps early May. Arteta revealed on Monday that the Spanish midfielder will require surgery to repair his injured foot.
“He’s a big player for us,” the Gunners manager said.
“An athlete that has such versatility and capacity to compete in various positions. Yeah, that’s a big blow.”
And then finally, Max Dowman is still recovering from the ankle injury that he sustained in December. However, he’s making progress, and he could be back in a couple weeks.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.