Arsenal assess key fitness before Sporting CP second leg
Arsenal host Sporting in the Champions League quarter-final second leg. Arteta praises progress, monitors Rice, Timber, Saka and Odegaard. Sporting welcome Hjulmand. Letexier referees.
Atletico beat Barcelona after early errors and Garcia’s red, Lookman scoring the winner. If Arsenal beat Sporting, they face Simeone’s side in the Champions League semi-finals.
Report claims Arsenal lead rivals to sign Celta Vigo’s Oscar Mingueza on a free to replace Ben White, with City, Liverpool, Newcastle, Villa, Everton and Spurs also keen.
Gabriel admits set-piece gains are harder as rivals double up. Chris Sutton warns Arteta risks the sack if Arsenal end trophyless ahead of Sporting CP and a trip to Manchester City.
Opinion urges Arteta to start teen Max Dowman in the Sporting CP second leg amid injuries to Saka and Odegaard and misfiring attack, arguing his dribbling could lift Arsenal.
Rice missed training before Sporting CP, status unknown. Saka’s Achilles close, ‘days not weeks’. Odegaard has knee niggle, Calafiori managed. Timber could return. Merino out until May 24.
