Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Eberechi Eze is fit to face Bournemouth on Saturday, providing a boost ahead of the Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium. The 27-year-old had been sidelined with a calf injury but returned to training earlier this week.
Arteta said: 'He is available. My first conversation with him after he felt that niggle, he wanted to be available the next week. That was not possible. The recovery, the way he has shown to get back, the way he has pushed.' However, the Spaniard was more cryptic regarding other players, with Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber all missing training on Thursday.
When asked about the absentees, Arteta said: 'Yes, there have been changes there since yesterday.' Asked which of them could face Bournemouth, he added: 'I don't know. Some of them.'
Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has set the points target his side need to win the title, making Arsenal's mission clear. City sit nine points behind the Gunners with a game in hand. Guardiola said: 'We have to win every single game. Hopefully we can get a lot of points. The situation we are in in the Premier League, we need to get all of them otherwise it will not give us a chance to try until the end.'
City winning their remaining eight games would give them 85 points. Arsenal can better that total, even with a potential loss to City, by winning five and drawing one of their six other games. A positive result against City on April 19 would further dent City's hopes.
