05 December 2023 , 08:27
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Bukayo Saka is set to make his 200th Arsenal appearance at Luton on Tuesday night with the Gunners aiming to extend their advantage at the top of the Premier League.
The academy graduate has become a leading light at the Emirates and is set to reprise his usual role in attack alongside Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus. Saka scored in the win over Wolves at the weekend which saw Arsenal go two points clear of Liverpool and three clear of Manchester City.
He enjoyed his best season to date last term and continues to grow in stature. Saka and his team-mates will face a unique challenge when they head to Kenilworth Road for the first time in the Premier League era, but Arteta is confident his young winger will step up.
The Spaniard said on his imminent achievement: "That’s not bad at his age! It’s gone really fast but it shows again the consistency and the availability that he has had over the last few years. It has been tremendous and the impact that he's had in the team has been really positive."
Kai Havertz continues to get a consistent run of games in the middle of the park alongside established duo Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. The major concern for Arteta is the fitness of Takehiro Tomiyasu, who will be assessed late in the day before a decision is made.
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It looks as if he may just miss out with Ben White coming back in to the right-back role he occupied for much of last season. William Saliba, Gabirel and Oleksandr Zinchenko are set to make up the back four despite the Ukrainian's error costing his side a goal at the weekend.
Bukayo Saka is set for his 200th runout as an Arsenal player (PA)Arsenal haven't played Luton since 1991 but Arteta believes his team will be inspired by their trip to Kenilworth Road. "I would say it is an inspiring place," he said. "I think what they've done is remarkable with what Rob did with the team last year, the way they did it and what they transmitted as a team. We are neighbours and we’re always very close to here so it's just an amazing story.
"They fully deserve all the credit they are getting, from last year as well as the way they are playing this season. Some of the results that they have got and in the games that they've played, they’ve been extremely close so tomorrow we're going to have a really intense and difficult match.
Arsenal's predicted line-up: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Havertz, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli