With Arsenal and Manchester City locked together on both points and goal difference and only five matches remaining in the Premier League season, Mikel Arteta has made clear that Bukayo Saka‘s return could prove decisive in determining who lifts the title.
Saka has been absent since the Carabao Cup final, a spell during which Arsenal’s form deteriorated significantly — the Gunners managing just one win from their last five league outings. His expected inclusion in the squad for Saturday’s home clash against Newcastle United has injected fresh optimism into the club’s title challenge.
Arteta spoke candidly about the scale of expectation surrounding the England international ahead of the crucial fixture. “We certainly have in Bukayo one of the most influential players we have had in the past few years,” the Arsenal manager said. “He is a player when it comes to those moments; we expect him to produce those moments to win it for us. We need him in the squad. We have him now. Hopefully, we can use him in the right way.”
The Spaniard also dismissed any suggestion that the psychological battle with Manchester City’s camp carries meaningful weight at this stage of the season. “It’s not about talking, it’s not about feeling. It’s tomorrow when you go over that line and get it done. And in this moment it’s about getting it done,” Arteta added.
Saka, who turned 24 earlier in 2025, has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers over recent seasons, registering double-digit goal and assist contributions in multiple campaigns. His absence following the Carabao Cup final exposed a vulnerability in Arsenal’s attacking output at precisely the moment when the title race demanded their best.
The stakes could scarcely be higher. With the two sides inseparable on points and goal difference, every remaining fixture carries maximum significance. Arsenal host Newcastle — a side managed by Eddie Howe, who has himself spoken publicly about the fitness situations within both camps — before what is expected to be a relentless run-in across the final weeks of the season.
Should Saka feature and perform to his usual standard, Arsenal will look to recapture the momentum that had made them genuine title contenders throughout the campaign. Arteta’s message, however, was unambiguous: the time for words has passed.
