‘Doesn’t make any difference’ – Man City fans react as Mikel Arteta handed major blow ahead of Arsenal’s crucial title showdown clash

Arsenal will be without centre-back William Saliba for Wednesday’s game with Manchester City in what is a huge blow for Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners maintain a five-point lead over City at the top of the Premier League table, but the reigning champions have two games in hand.

A recent drop in form from Mikel Arteta’s side has opened the door for City to clinch the title as the end of the season nears.

Arsenal haven’t been helped by an injury to one of their key players who has been missing since March.

Defender William Saliba left the pitch during the Gunners’ Europa League last-16 defeat to Sporting Lisbon with a back injury and is yet to return.

There had initially been hope he would be fit to feature in the game against City, but recent assessments have failed to show significant improvement and he’s set to miss the game, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

He’s also likely to be out of Arsenal’s game against Chelsea on May 2 with Rob Holding expected to continue filling in.

The news was shared on Twitter by City Xtra and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters.

@Mo_Aziz17: “Does it matter… They are playing in Etihad.”

@ManCityPlanet: “With him. It still doesn’t make any difference.”

@ComeOnCiteeeeh: “Don’t make a difference they would still lose”

@MCFC__Mario: “With Saliba at the Emirates it was 3. With holding at the Etihad they will hold 6.”

@CityJou: “City without Ake and Arsenal without saliba will be a fair game for both, should be no excuses from both”

@Ayrton08161553: “Fair game then, we won’t have Ake”

@_SarangJ: What about Ake for us? Pep said in his post match, we have no injures, does that include Ake or he missed him?.”