Arsenal are preparing to face Everton on Saturday evening in the Premier League but could be second in the table by the time their match kicks off
Saka shakes hands with Arteta
Bukayo Saka will hope to lead Arsenal to victory over Everton
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Premier League leaders Arsenal visit Everton on Saturday evening but could find themselves surpassed by the time kick-off arrives. MikelArteta's side have only lost two top-flight matches this season.
The Gunners faced a much tougher test than expected when they hosted Wolves last time out. A Yerson Mosquera own-goal in the fourth minute of added time rescued three points for Arteta's men.
A daunting visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium now awaits and thanks to second-place Manchester City playing on Saturday afternoon Arsenal could be supplanted at the top before their match begins. City sit just two points behind.
Bukayo Saka issue emerges
Saka had been sidelined earlier this season with a hamstring issue but has bounced back to spearhead Arteta's attack. The only problem is he seems to have displaced a promising summer signing.
Noni Madueke was purchased from Chelsea this summer and former Manchester City defender Micah Richards thinks Arteta has a "conundrum" on his hands because both continue to perform well in the right-wing position.
Noni Madueke of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between Club Brugge KV and Arsenal FC
Madueke was signed this summer
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"I feel Arsenal have a little bit of a conundrum because Madueke is playing really well and Saka is their best player," said Richards, speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast.
"They are too reliant on Saka all of the time. If you look at the goals that [Leandro] Trossard or [Gabriel] Martinelli score, they need to do what Saka is doing on the right-hand side."
Everton talisman questionable
One player who is a doubt for Saturday's clash is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The creative midfield star has been nothing short of a revelation for the Toffees this season but limped off during their loss against Chelsea.
There has yet to be an update on Dewsbury-Hall, who has scored four goals and assisted three so far for his new club. He is not the only injury doubt for David Moyes either.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall goes off injured
Dewsbury-Hall was withdrawn against Chelsea
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Head coach Moyes revealed that it was a "tightness" in Dewsbury-Hall's hamstring that caused him to be replaced prematurely against his former club Chelsea. Jack Grealish also "felt his hamstring a little bit" in the defeat, too.
Moyes later told Match of the Day: "Losing Kiernan was a blow to us but I thought we adapted quite well. It disrupted us for about 10 to 15 minutes. I thought we'd started the game well. In that period, we just lost the goal… It's hard to be disappointed with a lot of the stuff we've done.
"But I'm disappointed because we didn't win, disappointed because we've got a couple injuries, but not disappointed with how the players are going about it."
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