Arsenal are due at the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth on Saturday, in a game the club hopes will solidify its Premiership standing as the season gets into full swing. They sit joint second on the Premier League table, alongside Manchester City, and there appears to be some timely good news for Mikel Arteta and Gunners fans ahead of the game.

Bukayo Saka is reported to be optimistic about his odds of returning to full match fitness in time for Saturday's clash. He suffered a suspected hamstring injury while playing in the England game against Greece, and missed the subsequent international against Finland as a result.

Industry analysts point out that the influence of Saka's likely return is being felt beyond fans of Arsenal as bookmakers are also hailing his return. For now, Arsenal is riding high, hovering around odds between 4/6 and 5/7, making them clear favourites over Bournemouth. For more adventurous punters who find top betting sites outside Gamstop, the Gunners are also being given a one-goal handicap at odds of around 8/5 - this market isn’t always available at local sites, which may focus on more simple and popular markets such as the result and the first scorer. What the imminent return of Saka proves is how much one player now has the potential to influence the game and change the odds simply by being in contention to play. 

After returning home for more tests and assessments, reports around the Arsenal camp are that the attacking winger is now confident about his chances of making the trip to Bournemouth on Saturday. However, it should be noted that medical staff are still continuing to assess his condition, and a final decision has yet to be made on whether or not he'll be at full fitness in time for the match.

The star's inclusion would give the team a massive boost, particularly given the way he has stepped up as Arsenal's chief playmaker in the absence of captain Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian is, of course, also side-lined, though with a more serious injury.

Saka's influence will certainly be felt on the pitch if he plays this weekend. He has been a notable goal creator, having set up at least one goal in each of Arsenal's first seven games of the season. He currently has seven assists, with three goals of his own.

Saka currently leads with assists in the league so far. This has more than made up for the intense targeting he's received from opposition players. Despite this, he has world-class resilience, and has only missed 15 matches through injury in his entire career, another reason he’s seen as one of the classiest young players in the world right now.

The Gunners also have other injury concerns against Bournemouth on Saturday, where they'll want to preserve their unbeaten record in the Premiership so far this season. Currently among the favourites for the title, speculation is growing that they have to win it this season or struggle to remain in contention for the next few years.

Having been runners-up to Manchester City for the past two seasons, they find themselves in danger of being tagged as eternal bridesmaids. Against Bournemouth, Arteta has to contend with several fitness issues affecting key players.

Captain Martin Odegaard remains completely out of action due to his ankle injury but has been able to remove his protective medical boot. He was reported to be making very positive progress, and the club was hoping for his return in time for their clash with current league leaders, Liverpool, on 27 October. However, there have now been complications with his ankle sprain.

Despite this, there is more good news for the manager, as Saka is not the only one expected to make a return on the weekend. It appears that Kai Havertz's exclusion from the German national team was a precautionary measure over a knee concern, rather than an actual injury.

Thomas Partey has recovered from the illness that kept him out of the Ghana squad during the international break, and there's little doubt that he will be available for selection. He did deputise at right-back in the Southampton game anyway, so his inclusion is almost certain.

The news is also encouraging for Ben White, as his knee issue appears to be healing well after he sat out the Southampton game. The same can be said of Jurrien Timber, who also missed playing Southampton. Arteta has hinted that he could well see game time on Saturday. Oleksandr Zinchenko could also find himself in the squad, as he's made quick progress in recovering from a minor calf injury.

Gabriel Martinelli is a bigger concern, however. His calf injury sustained while playing for Brazil has cast major doubt over his match fitness and is still being assessed by the Brazilian team's medical staff. Even when he is cleared to train by his national team, Arsenal won't want to rush him back into action, for fear of the issue recurring during the club's demanding domestic and European schedule ahead.

Other members of the Arsenal squad are also still ruled out for at least the immediate future. Kieran Tierney is still recovering from a major hamstring injury, although there are strong hopes that he could be back before the end of the year, given his naming in the Gunners' Championship League squad.

The very unfortunate Takehiro Tomiyasu injured his knee in his first game of the season for Arsenal, and although he appeared to have recovered, the latest news is that the issue has recurred. He's now expected to be sidelined indefinitely.

Fans should also bear in mind for Saturday's game that, while Arsenal's Brazilian goalkeeper Neto, is fit to take the field, he's not eligible to play in this fixture. He is currently on loan from Bournemouth, after the departure of Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton during the August transfer window. Premiership rules do not allow players who are on loan to play against their parent clubs.