April 17 (Reuters) - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said winger Noni Madueke has responded well after being forced off in Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Sporting and could be available for Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash at Manchester City.
Arsenal are six points ahead of second-placed City, who have a game in hand. Despite a 2-1 loss at home to Bournemouth last week, Arteta said his side remain confident, even with winger Bukayo Saka and midfielder Mikel Merino sidelined.
Saka has not played since the League Cup final defeat by City last month, while Merino has been sidelined since undergoing foot surgery in February.
"Bukayo is out, that's for sure, Mikel is out as well," Arteta told reporters on Friday.
"We have another training session tomorrow. Madueke is quite positive, and he is a player who pushes through pain. I'm hopeful he can be available but we'll see if he's able to train.
"Saka is just starting to do some stuff. Let's see that progression and how quickly we can go through."
Arteta said Arsenal will assess several players who have missed recent matches, including Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, as they look to bolster the squad for the weekend.
"Some players are quite close. The turnaround time is short. We will try tomorrow to push everybody," added the Spaniard.
"If they are in good condition, they will be part of us. If they are not, they won't.
"We will have a solution, whatever happens. We are so used to this, this season."
Arteta also suggested 16-year-old Max Dowman, who became the Premier League’s youngest scorer in March, could feature.
"He will be ready, I am sure. You throw him in any context and this kid, you know what he will be delivering," he said.
Arsenal are chasing their first Premier League title in 22 years, and Arteta stressed the importance of getting all three points on Sunday to keep their title bid on track.
"It is certainly the most important game, as it is the next one. We have earned the right to be in this position, to be challenging," he said.
"We are not going to spend one second about that (playing for a draw). We prepare every game to win and that is why we are where we are."
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
