Arteta unsure whether Tomiyasu will be fit for Luton as Saka set for 200th Gunners outing

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will make a late decision on whether or not to use Japanese international Takehiro Tomiyasu at Luton Town tomorrow after the defender came off in the closing stages of Saturday’s 2-1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The 25-year-old, who moved to the Emirates from Italian side Bologna for £17.2m in August 2021, has played 24 times for club and country this season, with five starts in the Premier League.

Speaking to the Arsenal website about his chances of playing at Kenilworth Road, Arteta said: “We assessed him after the game, we took him off as a precaution so we'll wait. Whether it's useful to use him or not, we will decide tomorrow. He’s a strong boy and hopefully he'll be fine.”

Although long term absentees Fabio Vieira, Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe and Jurrien Timber are all missing, England international Ben White is available and now back up to full speed once more, as Arteta continued: “After his injury and the way we decided to manage his load, he's feeling perfect and back to fitness. He played some minutes and he's now in a good place.”

One player who is expected to most definitely feature is Bukayo Saka as the 22-year-old will make his 200th appearance for the Gunners.

The England star has also added 47 goals in that time, as Arteta added: “That’s not bad at his age! It’s gone really fast but it shows again the consistency and the availability that he has had over the last few years. It has been tremendous and the impact that he's had in the team has been really positive.

"It’s like watching a kid raise, and get older, mature and evolve. And he still has the same humility and willingness to get better and better and get to know the people close to him in his life, and the impact they have on him.

"All the academy people who worked with him as well over the years to make him the player he is today, they have to take a huge compliment of who Bukayo is today. And then let him be. Bukayo is a special guy, we have him with us hopefully for many years to come.”