Mikel Arteta: I’d just stay at home if Arsenal didn’t have desire to win title
Mikel Arteta: I’d just stay at home if Arsenal didn’t have desire to win title
Arsenal Football Newsletter
Arsenal Football Newsletter
The winger is expected to hand Arsenal a huge boost by returning to the squad on Saturday when the Gunners host Newcastle.
Saka has been out with an Achilles injury since the Carabao Cup final and Arsenal have won just one of their five matches in his absence.
Arteta said Saka was in "great spirits" in training on Friday and he has urged one of his star players to produce the pieces of magic that could prove the difference in the title race.
“We certainly have in Bukayo one of the most influential players we have had in the past few years," Arteta said.
"He is a player when it comes to those moments, we expect him to produce those moments to win it for us.
"We need him in the squad. We have him now. Hopefully we can use him in the right way."
With five matches of the Premier League season to go, Arsenal and Manchester City are locked on the same number of points and with the same goal difference.
City's involvement in the FA Cup semi-finals and the nature of the television picks means that Arsenal play twice before Pep Guardiola's side are next in league action.
Arteta has been keen to reframe these final five matches as a "new league", starting at home to Newcastle, but he admitted his words will count for nothing come kick-off on Saturday evening.
"It's not about talking, it's not about feeling," Arteta said.
"It's tomorrow when you go over that line and get it done. And in this moment it's about getting it done. That's it.
"It's not too much talking about what to do. We will create and generate the right context towards that and at the end we'll have to do it on the pitch."