Mikel Arteta gave Arsenal a timely lift on Friday by saying Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi will be available for Sunday’s Community Shield against Manchester City if they come through the final sessions as expected. Arsenal face the FA Cup winners at 3pm UK at the Millennium Stadium, and the update turns a cautious build-up into a real boost for the Premier League champions.
The timing matters because this is Arsenal’s first fitness update of the new season, and it comes less than a month after the World Cup final with the curtain raiser already on the calendar. Saka, Rice and Zubimendi had not featured in a match since returning from international duty, but they came back to training earlier this week and Arteta said he had not seen anything to raise concern about either Saka or Rice. He added that they had worked through individual plans and looked strong over the last two or three days.
That is why the update lands with weight. Arteta said the trio trained with the squad on Friday and will train again on Saturday, leaving the final call tied to how they come through those sessions. He said he loves the way the players have come back, noted that most returned earlier than expected and in good condition, and said there is excitement around what Arsenal are building. For a one-off match against Manchester City, even one more senior option can shift the tone of the afternoon.
Jurrien Timber is the name that complicates the picture. He is already back on the pitch and progressing well, with Arteta saying Arsenal are ramping up his work through the volume and load, but he still has a few weeks to go and needs to start training with the group in the next week or so hopefully. William Saliba is further back still, with Arteta describing his injury as a long-term issue. That leaves Arsenal with attacking and midfield reinforcements available, but missing two defenders who would normally shape the spine of the team.
Arsenal’s late fitness boost also arrives against a backdrop of a familiar contest that has already taken on early-season importance. Manchester City are coming in as FA Cup champions, and Arsenal know the Community Shield is often treated as a first check on rhythm rather than a trophy in isolation. Even so, Arteta’s message was clear: the squad is healthier than it looked earlier in the week, the mood has lifted, and Sunday will show how much of that freshness can translate when the match begins.
The unanswered piece is how much Arsenal will ask of Saka, Rice and Zubimendi if they are cleared to play. Arteta did not give minutes, only availability, which suggests the club will decide the risk on the day rather than force a full outing. That makes Sunday less about a perfect starting XI and more about whether Arsenal can use the return of three senior players without exposing them before the season settles in.
