Fresh concern for Gunners ahead of Sporting and Man City showdown

Arsenal injury latest: Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaa

The Gunners are reeling after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth followed their Carabao Cup final defeat and shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Southampton.

Mikel Arteta’s side bid to get back on track when they play Sporting in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, leading 1-0 from the first leg.

They then face Manchester City in a huge title showdown at the Etihad on Sunday.

Arteta has been handed a fresh injury scare over Declan Rice after Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori all missed the Bournemouth defeat.

With that in mind, here is the latest Arsenal injury news and return dates…

Declan Rice

Declan Rice sparked fresh injury concern when he missed Arsenal training on Tuesday.

Rice completed the full 90 minutes of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth but was absent when Arsenal trained on Tuesday ahead of the Sporting game.

Declan Rice completed 90 minutes against Bournemouth but missed training on Tuesday

Asked for an update on Rice in his press conference on Tuesday ahead of the Sporting game, Arteta said: “I don’t want to do that.

“We have to wait and see. Obviously he wasn’t available to train.”

Potential return date: Unknown

Martin Odegaard

Martin Odegaard has not had any luck with injuries this season and disaster has struck again with Odegaard forced to sit out the loss to Bournemouth.

Arteta revealed that the Norway international picked up a “niggle” during the first leg win over Sporting, a game in which he was brought off in the 70th minute.

Fresh setback: Martin Odegaard

Odegaard did not train with the Arsenal squad on Tuesday, suggesting he will not be fit to face Sporting.

Potential return date: Sunday April 19, vs Man City (A)

Bukayo Saka

Bukayo Saka withdrew from England duty last month, having joined up late after Thomas Tuchel said he wanted to manage the workload of some key players.

The winger was thought to have been rested for the FA Cup quarter-final loss to Southampton, but concerns over his fitness have increased after missing out against Sporting and Bournemouth.

Saka has still not returned to training which suggests he is no nearer to a return, but Arteta is hopeful of having his vice-captain back as soon as possible.

Bukayo Saka has missed Arsenal’s last three games

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Arteta said on Tuesday: “We have to wait until tomorrow morning to see how I feel the boys are.”

Potential return date: Sunday April 19, vs Man City (A)

Jurrien Timber

It is approaching a month to the date since Jurrien Timber last played for Arsenal.

The defender was forced off in the 2-0 win over Everton and has subsequently missed the last five games with an ankle problem that also saw him withdraw from the Netherlands squad for games against Norway and Ecuador.

Premier League needs a big Liverpool comeback vs PSG — to have a chance of having SEVEN clubs in the Champions League

This scenario is still possible.

Virgil van Dijk

The first leg between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final showed how big the gap between the teams is right now — total dominance from the French side, which nevertheless resulted in only 2–0 on the scoreboard.

Even if Liverpool’s chances of a comeback look slim, England are still waiting for the evening at Anfield — because before this stage people were already talking about the possibility of as many as seven Premier League clubs reaching next season’s Champions League.

How is that possible?

England were guaranteed 4 spots — and now have 5 thanks to the season ranking

This was guaranteed precisely after the first legs of the European quarter-finals — the Premier League can no longer drop out of the top 2 in the seasonal UEFA ranking, and leagues in those positions receive additional slots in the main Champions League phase.

Despite the complaints in England about their clubs’ performances in the knock-out rounds, they had already collected good points in the main phase. The battle for second place continues between Spain and Germany.

Accordingly, fifth place in the Premier League also gives a Champions League ticket. But there may be shifts.

Nottingham Forest could get an extra slot — if they win the Europa League

This is a slot that does not depend on anything else — if the Europa League is won by a team that do not qualify for the Champions League via their domestic league, they take the spot without affecting the other allocations in that league.

At the quarter-final stage, England still have Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. The former beat Bologna 3–1, the latter drew with Porto.

More stats are available on Tribuna.com

The particularly interesting case here is Forest, because Aston Villa are very likely to qualify for the Champions League anyway. But a victory for Vitor Pereira’s team would secure a sixth Champions League place for England. Possibly even for a future Championship

Liverpool winning the Champions League and missing out on the top four would give the Premier League seven clubs

This is an unlikely scenario, which still has minimal chances of happening — but it is fuelling the conversation before the second leg against PSG.

The logic is simple as well — winning the Champions League gives a ticket for the next season without affecting the distribution of league places in the Premier League. They are simply shifted.

So, under the scenario where Liverpool triumph in the Champions League and finish fifth or lower, the situation would be as follows:

Arsenal have been handed a huge advantage in the title race as Manchester City are hit with a significant points deduction, which has got them to an unimaginable position in the Premier League this season.

In a seismic development that has sent shockwaves through English football, Manchester City have been found guilty on the vast majority of their 115 Premier League charges and slapped with a staggering points deduction that has dramatically altered the 2025/26 title race. Arsenal, who were already leading the table, now find themselves with a commanding and potentially insurmountable points margin as the season enters its decisive final phase.



According to the long-awaited verdict delivered by the independent commission, Manchester City have been deducted 40 points effective immediately for systematic breaches of financial rules spanning nearly a decade. The punishment, one of the most severe in Premier League history, comes after years of investigation into allegations of improper sponsorship deals, inflated revenues, and failures to provide accurate financial information. City, who had vigorously denied the charges and fought the case at every turn, now sit in a precarious mid-table position that threatens not only their title hopes but also their Champions League qualification for next season.



As of Monday, April 13, 2026, the Premier League table has been transformed overnight. Arsenal sit proudly at the summit with 70 points from 32 matches, boasting a goal difference of +38. Manchester City, who had been their closest challengers with 64 points from 31 games prior to the deduction, have plummeted to 24 points and find themselves in 10th place, suddenly battling for a European spot rather than fighting for the crown. This 46-point swing has effectively handed Mikel Arteta’s side a massive advantage, turning what was a tense two-horse race into a procession for the Gunners.

The news broke late on Sunday evening, sending social media into meltdown and sparking immediate reactions from players, fans, and pundits across the country. Arsenal supporters celebrated wildly, with many taking to the streets near the Emirates Stadium in spontaneous scenes of joy. For years, the narrative has been dominated by City’s financial dominance and their ability to assemble superstar squads, but this verdict has been hailed by many as a long-overdue levelling of the playing field.

Premier League officials confirmed the deduction following months of hearings. The commission found City guilty on 98 of the 115 charges, citing repeated violations of profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), disguised owner funding through sponsorships, and non-cooperation during the investigation. While a full 60-point deduction had been speculated in some circles, the final sanction of 40 points reflects a balance between the severity of the breaches and precedents set by previous cases involving Everton and Nottingham Forest. City have already announced their intention to appeal the decision, but the immediate impact on the current campaign is devastating.

Mikel Arteta, speaking at a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures, tried to maintain focus but could not hide his satisfaction. “This is not about us celebrating someone else’s misfortune,” he said. “We have worked incredibly hard to reach this position on the pitch. The players deserve huge credit for putting us where we are. Now we must finish the job.” Arteta’s squad, featuring stars like Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres, Declan Rice, and William Saliba, has been in sensational form, winning 21 of their 32 league games and looking increasingly unstoppable.

For Manchester City, the mood is one of anger and disbelief. Manager Pep Guardiola, who has guided the club to multiple titles during their dominant era, described the punishment as “disproportionate and unfair.” In a fiery press conference, he insisted the club would fight the verdict “to the end” and maintained that his players should not be punished for off-field matters. However, with the points already removed from the table, City’s season has been thrown into chaos.

They now trail leaders Arsenal by a colossal 46 points and sit just four points above the relegation zone, though their superior goal difference offers some buffer.

The implications stretch far beyond this season. A successful appeal could see points reinstated, but legal experts suggest the process could drag on for months or even years, leaving next season’s planning in limbo. Several key players are reportedly unsettled, with agents already exploring options elsewhere should City’s European exile become a reality. Sponsors and commercial partners are also monitoring the situation closely, aware that a tarnished reputation could affect long-term deals.

Football finance experts have been quick to weigh in. Kieran Maguire, a prominent analyst, noted that the scale of the breaches — covering inflated sponsorship revenues from companies linked to the Abu Dhabi ownership — justified a heavy sanction. “This isn’t a minor accounting error,” he said. “This was a sustained attempt to circumvent the rules that were designed to protect the competitive balance of the league. The 40-point deduction sends a strong message.”

Arsenal fans, who have waited over two decades for a Premier League title since their last triumph under Arsene Wenger in 2004, sense destiny is calling. The Gunners have been consistent challengers under Arteta, finishing second in recent seasons but falling short at the final hurdle. This points swing has transformed their outlook from hopeful to overwhelming favourites, with bookmakers slashing odds on an Arsenal title win to near-certainty.

The reaction from rival clubs has been mixed. Liverpool, currently in third, expressed sympathy for City’s players but welcomed any move that promotes fair competition. Chelsea and Manchester United, both with their own financial histories, remained largely silent, though fans online were far less restrained, with memes and celebrations flooding platforms.

Looking ahead, Arsenal face a relatively kind run-in compared to previous seasons. With fixtures against mid-to-lower table sides interspersed with the remaining big clashes, Arteta’s men can focus on maintaining their high standards of performance. Their Champions League campaign also remains alive, raising the tantalising prospect of a historic double.

For City, the focus shifts to damage limitation. They must win almost every remaining game to have any hope of climbing back into the top four, all while dealing with the distraction of the appeal process. The squad’s morale will be tested like never before, and questions are already being asked about whether key stars like Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, and Phil Foden will stay at the club amid the uncertainty.

This landmark ruling also raises broader questions about the future of financial regulation in football. The Premier League has signalled its willingness to enforce rules rigorously, potentially deterring other clubs from testing the boundaries. However, critics argue the delay in reaching a verdict — over three years since the charges were first brought — has caused unnecessary instability for the competition.

As the dust begins to settle on this extraordinary chapter, Arsenal stand as the clear beneficiaries. What was once a fiercely contested title race has become a victory lap opportunity for Mikel Arteta and his squad. The Gunners are now in pole position not just to win the Premier League but to do so in record-breaking fashion, potentially finishing with one of the highest points totals in history.

Wayne Rooney, among others, has commented on the situation, warning that while the deduction changes the landscape, Arsenal must still show their quality on the pitch. “This gives them a huge advantage, but titles are won by performances, not just points on a spreadsheet,” he said.

The football world will be watching closely as the season hurtles toward its conclusion. For Arsenal supporters, the dream of lifting the Premier League trophy at the Emirates feels closer than ever. For Manchester City, a period of rebuilding and legal battles lies ahead. One thing is certain: April 13, 2026, will be remembered as the day the Premier League title race was effectively decided off the field, handing Arsenal a golden ticket to glory.

The coming weeks will determine whether the Gunners can stay focused and cross the line in style, or if any late twists remain in this most dramatic of seasons. For now, the advantage is enormous, the margin is huge, and Arsenal’s path to the title has never looked clearer.