Mikel Arteta says it’s not enough for Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori to simply be available, at this stage of the season they also need to produce their best football.Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed in his pre-Newcastle United press conference on Friday that he expects Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori to be in the squad for the game against Eddie Howe’s side on Saturday.
That’s big news for Gunners fans, given both Saka and Calafiori are first-choice players in their positions when fit, and they’ve each been unavailable for around a month of football.
But Arteta believes it’s not enough just to have them available, given the difficulty and significance of Arsenal’s remaining games.
“We need to get the best version out of them [Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori],” Arteta said. “Being available is not enough.
“Being available with your best version is what we need in this stage of the season. But at least they are with us. They certainly make us stronger. We [missed] them.
“And now all the players as well, they’ve just come back as well. They’re going to have more games, more minutes, and hopefully we will see a performance as well.”
On Calafiori’s fitness specifically, Arteta added: “You accept certain situations because it is what it is, but we are trying to implement a lot of things to give ourselves a better chance. He’s been much better this season than he was in the previous season.
“He was really unlucky in the previous season that he had last year as well. He’s putting so much into it as well, and hopefully we can keep him fit.”
As for Saka, Arteta continued: “He was in great spirits today. You can see that the sun is shining and that he’s back with the team because he had a different energy. He’s been through a tough period. We certainly missed him, and he’s back with us now.”
It’s certainly true that Arsenal need Saka and Calafiori back to their best immediately. With only five Premier League games remaining and a Champions League semi-final tie against Atletico Madrid, there’s no time to settle back in.
The Gunners likely need to win all of their remaining games to have a chance to win the Premier League title, and there’s obviously no room for slip-ups in a knockout competition like the Champions League.
If Arsenal’s injured players can come back and have a real impact in the final month or so of the season, the rewards could be great.