Bukayo Saka Returns to Arsenal Bench Against Fulham Tonight

LONDON, England — Arsenal‘s Bukayo Saka has been named on the bench for tonight’s Premier League match against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium, marking his return to the squad after 101 days recovering from hamstring surgery. Manager Mikel Arteta made one significant change to his starting lineup following a 1-0 victory against Chelsea 16 days ago.

Ethan Nwaneri, a fellow Hale End academy graduate, will start ahead of Leandro Trossard, while Myles Lewis-Skelly returns to the matchday squad after an impressive performance with the England under-21s during the international break. Jimi Gower, who scored in a 3-0 victory for Arsenal’s under-21 team against Norwich City, is included on a Premier League bench for the first time.

“It’s a massive boost for us to have Bukayo back,” Arteta said in a pre-match statement. “His quality and creativity can be pivotal as we push for our objectives in the season’s final stretch.”

Fulham, currently sitting eighth in the Premier League standings, will see Emile Smith Rowe return to their side, which has undergone a reshuffle with Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore also making the starting lineup. Willian, another former Gunner, is on the bench alongside Andreas Pereira and Rodrigo Muniz, as Fulham intends to switch to a back five with the inclusion of Issa Diop.

Arsenal’s starting lineup features goalie David Raya, defenders Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Lewis-Skelly, while the midfield is anchored by Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, and Martin Odegaard. The attacking front includes Nwaneri, Gabriel Martinelli, and young talent Merino.

Fulham shows their lineup with goalkeeper Bernd Leno and defenders Timothy Castagne, Issa Diop, Joachim Anderson, and Jorge Cuenca, while the midfield consists of Sander Berge and Nemanja Lukic, and the forward trio features Traore, Smith Rowe, and Jimenez.

As the match is set to kick off shortly, Arsenal hopes to maintain their position in the title race while applying pressure on league leaders Liverpool. The Gunners currently trail by twelve points with nine games remaining.

“We know it’s a tough task ahead, but we need to focus on our game,” Arteta added. “Every match counts, and we need to make sure we give our best until the end of the season.”

Injuries continue to plague both teams, with Arsenal sidelined missing Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Fulham is also without Harry Wilson and Reiss Nelson, who are dealing with foot and hamstring injuries, respectively.