Arsenal given fresh injury update for David Raya as chances of Manchester City return revealed

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Arsenal have received a significant boost ahead of their huge Premier League clash against Manchester City this weekend.

The Gunners sit six points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and cannot afford to drop further behind the Merseysiders this weekend.

While Arsenal cruised past Girona in midweek, a major victory is needed to raise morale at the Emirates.

The general atmosphere around the North London club is low due to a combination of factors, but a positive twist in the title race this weekend could easily change that.

David Raya expected to be fit for Arsenal’s clash with Man City

Despite eventually winning comfortably against a poor Girona side on Wednesday night, the encounter didn’t come without its difficulties for the Gunners.

David Raya wasn’t named in the starting eleven due to injury, and the Spaniard’s replacement, Neto, didn’t exactly impress.

Arsenal fans were frustrated with Neto after the Brazilian’s bizarre positioning helped give the La Liga outfit the lead.

Mikel Arteta issued an update regarding Raya’s fitness after the Champions League outing, claiming that the shot-stopper might not be available for the City game.

However, according to the Athletic, Raya is now expected to be fit for the weekend.

There are said to be no serious concerns that the former Brentford man will be out for a protracted period and instead his absence against Girona was somewhat precuationary.

Raya has started every single Premier League game for Arsenal this season, and is likely to continue this streak on Sunday.

• READ MORE: What Spain’s media honestly felt about Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri after watching him play vs Girona

Raya availability for Man City game a huge relief for Arsenal

Arsenal fans have been catastrophizing the potential loss of Raya for the City game.

Neto’s debut against Girona wasn’t encouraging, as he looked uncomfortable on the ball and was caught in no man’s land for the opening goal.

While the Bournemouth loanee’s unnerving performance can be somewhat attributed to having not played for over six months, he’s ultimately not near Raya’s level.

The Spain international has grown in stature in between the sticks for Arsenal this season, with his immaculate distribution and prolific cross-claiming becoming essential facets of the team’s game.

City are likely to raid Arsenal’s box with crosses as they look to find Erling Haaland, and thus Raya’s presence will be hugely important.