Here we go- Arsenal FC need a win and help from West Ham United to win the league on Sunday. The good news, for the Gunners, is that they only have two fitness concerns for Championship Sunday: Bukayo Saka (unspecified knock) and Jurrien Timber (match fitness).
And it is good news, because both Saka and Timber will be available for selection.
Championship Sunday FYIs
Kickoff: Sun. May 19, 4pm, Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Arsenal Preview Material: Starting XI Prediction Team News
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
PL Position, Form: Arsenal 2nd, 86 pts, WWWWW Everton 15th, 40 pts, WDWWW
Google Result Probability: Manchester City 82% Draw 12% Everton 6%
Arsenal Team News
‘Yeah, he should be fine,’ manager Mikel Arteta said of Saka.
Obviously, he’ll get a starting assignment. Regarding Timber, Arteta said the following:
‘It’s tricky because [there are] only three games to go and he’s missed eight months of football. So it’s a question that has to be resolved only by throwing him on the pitch and seeing what happens.’
May not want to risk the central defender here, and just wait until next season.
After all, Arteta needs to go with the guys who got them here, who have been playing alongside each other all season long. There is absolutely no upside to disrupting that flow right now.
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 Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.