Mikel Arteta confirms Bukayo Saka boost but Arsenal could be without five players for PSV and Brighton games

The Gunners have to contend with PSV Eindhoven first on Tuesday night in the Champions League, with the north London outfit already confirmed as group winners.

Ahead of that clash, manager Mikel Arteta said Bukayo Saka is fine despite missing first-team training on Monday but they are definitely without Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf), Fabio Vieira (groin), and Thomas Partey (thigh), and Jurrien Timber (knee).

The Arsenal boss said, via Football London: "He [Saka] is fine. With a few of them we decided to have another day recovery just 48 hours before and he has played a lot of minutes so it wasn't worth exposing him."

Emile Smith Rowe, who has been out with a knee problem, did return to first-team training but the PSV game and the Brighton one may come too soon for him.

"We have five or six big injuries so we are already a bit thin," added Arteta. "I don't know in another context what I would have done but I also want everyone together with the mentality to win. I want to see that in their tummies tomorrow (Tuesday)."

Brighton face off against Marseille in their final Europa League group stage game on Thursday. At present, they Ansu Fati (thigh), Pervis Estupinan (thigh), Tariq Lamptey (thigh), Julio Enciso (knee), Danny Welbeck (muscular), Solly March (knee), Adam Webster (knock).