Arsenal's title week is already moving on to the next problem. Mikel Merino stepped onto the grass in open training after a long-running foot injury that had kept him out since January, while Bukayo Saka, David Raya and William Saliba were kept on separate indoor plans. With the Premier League title sealed and Budapest coming next weekend, Arsenal are clearly thinking about more than the Palace game.

How Arteta is handling the title week

The main point here is simple enough. Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions for the first time since 2004, and the mood around the club has shifted from celebration to control. Mikel Arteta's job now is not to squeeze more out of the squad for the sake of Sunday, but to keep key players in one piece for the Champions League final against Paris Saint Germain.

The training split backs that up. Merino was back on the grass, which is the clearest sign he is moving in the right direction after his foot problem. Saka and Saliba have both already played 31 Premier League matches this season, so their indoor work reads more like protection than panic. Raya was also held back indoors.

Arsenal's numbers underline how far ahead of the closing stretch they are. They sit first in the Premier League on 82 points, and they are also top of their Champions League run with 24 points after eight wins from eight. That is why the Palace fixture does not really define the week. The final in Budapest does.

What the right-back situation still looks like

There is still a separate issue for Arteta to manage on the edge of the squad. Jurrien Timber has missed the last 12 games because of a groin issue, and the brief also says he had been dealing with an ankle problem since mid-March. Ben White suffered a season-ending MCL injury in the win over West Ham earlier this month, which leaves Arsenal light on natural right-back options.

That is the part of the week that probably matters most for selection decisions. If Arteta does rotate against Crystal Palace, it is not just because the title is won. It is because Arsenal have already been forced into thinking carefully about workload in a part of the pitch where they do not have much cover left.

The title is secured, the celebration is over, and the real test is whether Arsenal can get through the final league game with the group they want still available for Budapest.

FAQ

Is Arsenal's focus now on the Champions League final rather than the title celebrations?

Yes. Arsenal are already crowned Premier League champions, and the week is being managed around Budapest and the Champions League final. Mikel Merino was back on the grass in open training, while Bukayo Saka, David Raya and William Saliba were kept on separate indoor plans.

Has Mikel Merino fully returned to match fitness for Arsenal?

No. The brief only says Mikel Merino stepped onto the grass in open training after a long-running foot injury that had kept him out since January. It does not say he is fully fit or available for selection.

Why are Bukayo Saka and William Saliba being kept indoors at Arsenal?

They were not out on the field and were following separate indoor training plans. The article frames that as part of Arsenal managing the squad carefully before the Crystal Palace fixture and the Champions League final in Budapest.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →