Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Bukayo Saka is not at 100% fitness, revealing the Arsenal star has been dealing with a "niggle". This comes after the winger started on the bench in the recent Premier League match against Nottingham Forest, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

Saka, who has been a key player for Arsenal this season with 13 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions, was brought on as a substitute in the 57th minute against Forest. He almost snatched a late winner, but his header was brilliantly saved by Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.

Arteta explained his decision to bench Saka, stating, "Bukayo had a lot of minutes and he had a niggle before the game so we need to manage our players". He added, "We have some fantastic players that can provide different things and we did try it from the beginning". Noni Madueke was chosen to start ahead of Saka on the right wing, as Arteta made three changes to the starting lineup against Forest.

The Arsenal manager emphasized the need to be "very smart" with Saka and to "protect" him in order to get the best out of him. While Arteta didn't specify the exact nature or location of the "niggle," it appears the club is taking a cautious approach to manage Saka's workload.

Despite the fitness concern, Saka is expected to be available for Arsenal's upcoming games, including a Champions League clash against Inter Milan and a Premier League showdown with Manchester United. He is likely to feature against Inter Milan on January 20th.

Arsenal has a few other players currently sidelined with injuries. Defender Piero Hincapie is recovering from a groin injury sustained on January 8 and is potentially returning on January 25 for the Man United game. Riccardo Calafiori has been out since December with a muscle injury and is expected back in early February. Max Dowman is also out with an ankle injury and has a similar expected return date in early February.