Why Bukayo Saka isn’t registered for Arsenal clash with FC Zurich ahead of Europa League opener

Arsenal kickstart their Europa League campaign on Thursday when they travel to Switzerland to face FC Zurich in Group A. The Swiss side are the team drawn from pot four in the competition, meaning they should be the weakest of the bunch in the group that the Gunners will face.

That doesn’t mean they should be underestimated though, with Mikel Arteta hopeful of a strong campaign in the competition ahead. He will also be hoping his team can recover from their 3-1 loss to Manchester United on Sunday, where they suffered a first defeat of the new Premier League season.

When asked if the defeat would linger, the Spaniard told the media: “It won’t happen. That won’t happen because the performance is there and we know what we lacked today – the details to lose the game.

“You are here and you have a very different performance with the same result and then it’s a hard one to take because you are questioning your level. I don’t think there’s any question about the level there.”

With the returning challenge of midweek football and European nights back on the mind for Arteta, he now has to balance that with his squad options. The official UEFA website has since posted the squad listed for Arsenal’s match with Zurich, however there is one notable absentee.

That player is Bukayo Saka, who doesn’t appear to be registered for the clash, despite being the only notable first-team option on the right-wing. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t be involved in the game in some capacity.

That’s because the youngster can be included on a so-called “B list” which allows younger players to join the squad and be of use to them without taking up a squad place. This is something Chelsea appear to have done with striker Armando Broja, as well as Liverpool with midfield duo Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones.

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It remains to be seen exactly what part Saka will play, especially given his workload and the lack of options on the right this season. However, he may still get some game time with the squad.