Manager Mikel Arteta stated on Tuesday that Arsenal has no intention of switching up their lineup or resting players for their Premier League match against Crystal Palace this week in order to prepare for their Champions League semi-final matchup with Paris St. Germain the following week.
With leaders Liverpool needing only one more victory to win the Premier League, Arsenal, currently ranked second in the table with 66 points, is almost eliminated from the hunt for the title.
The Champions League is their last realistic chance to win a trophy this season, as Arteta’s team is eliminated from the FA Cup and the League Cup in the semi-finals.
However, Arteta ruled out the idea of benching important players against Palace, who are currently in 12th place.
“We cannot think in those terms, when the players are fit and available and want to play, they have to play,” he told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s clash at Emirates Stadium.
“They are at their best when they are playing and they have consistency in their performances and physically and emotionally they are good.
“They have the rhythm and that is when they are at their best.
“If they are not available, there is no discussion. If they are not in a good condition to perform we are not going to play them.
“But if they are we will play them.”
Liverpool will win the title if Arsenal loses against Palace, and Virgil van Dijk, the captain of the Merseyside team, has hinted that the whole team may turn out to watch Arsenal’s game.
Arteta responded as follows when asked if that had given Arsenal more incentive to win:
“Our incentive is to win our game and to do our best to continue with our run that we are in right now, the rest we cannot control.”
The Spaniard also gave an injury report on Bukayo Saka, who was hobbling and eventually had to be substituted after being the victim of a clumsy challenge by Leif Davis during Sunday’s 4-0 victory over Ipswich Town.
“Yeah we have to wait and see how he reacts after the session but he is nothing too serious. I think he will have a good chance to play tomorrow,” Arteta said.
“(Riccardo Calafiori) is out and (Jorginho) as well. Unfortunately Jorgi will be out for a few weeks.”
Arsenal will host PSG in the opening leg of their Champions League match on April 29 after taking a six-day break after their match against Palace.
“We have more days, the amount of options we have is not that many, especially because of where the players are coming and the amount of minutes they can play,” Arteta said.
“It’s good to have a little gap because we are really short in numbers.”