Arsenal handed Bukayo Saka fitness boost ahead of Brentford clash

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka is expected to be fit for Saturday’s Premier League game against Brentford.

Saka was forced off at half-time of Arsenal’s thumping 6-0 win over Sheffield United on Monday night due to illness.

The 22-year-old had been feeling ill in the build-up to the game at Bramall Lane and was forced to go home early one day last week.

Saka, however, wanted to play and managed 45 minutes in South Yorkshire on Monday night, setting up two goals as in-form Arsenal made it seven league wins on the spin against the top-flight’s bottom club.

The England winger is now feeling better and expected to be fit for Saturday, when Arsenal host London rivals Brentford at the Emirates Stadium in the late kick-off.

The Gunners’ squad took part in a recovery session on Tuesday, while Wednesday was a rest day. They are due back in for training at London Colney on Thursday and Saka is set to take part.

Gabriel Martinelli, who was forced off during the second half of Monday’s win over Sheffield United, is due to be assessed after cutting his foot.

Arsenal can go top of the Premier League if they beat the struggling Bees this weekend.

The league’s top two sides, Liverpool and Manchester City, are not in action until the following day, when they will face each other at Anfield.

Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu both missed Arsenal’s win on Monday due to calf injuries, but manager Mikel Arteta revealed after the game that the latter could be back playing soon.

“He (Tomiyasu) is very close,” he said. “He’s already doing something on the grass and hopefully we’re going to have him very close with us.”