Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is set to be sidelined for several weeks after suffering a hamstring injury during his team’s 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has described Saka’s absence as a “huge” blow for the team.
The 23-year-old England winger, who has been pivotal to Arsenal’s campaign with nine goals and 13 assists in all competitions this season, was forced off midway through the first half at Selhurst Park, with Leandro Trossard coming on as his replacement.
“It is not looking good. He will be out for many weeks,” Arteta confirmed in his post-match press conference, though he refrained from providing an exact timeline for Saka’s return.
Arteta: “A Huge Blow for the Team”
Arteta acknowledged the significant impact Saka’s absence will have on the squad, saying, “Obviously he’s a big player for us. You just have to see the impact that he has on the team. But it’s going to be a really good exercise for all of us to think about ways to overcome another challenge because we’ve already had a lot in the season.”
The Arsenal boss revealed that Saka was “gutted” and “really emotional” after learning the extent of his injury. Saka was later seen leaving Selhurst Park on crutches, further dampening the mood following the team’s comprehensive win.
Another Injury Worry for Arsenal
In addition to Saka’s setback, Arteta disclosed that fellow winger Raheem Sterling had injured his knee and would also be sidelined for several weeks.
“We have to look internally at what we have and be creative,” Arteta said, noting that he was unsure if Arsenal would move to sign a winger during the January transfer window.
Fixture Congestion and Player Workload
Arteta suggested that the intense workload on players like Saka and Declan Rice may have contributed to the injury.
“For example, Bukayo and Declan, they played over 130 games in two seasons,” Arteta said. “So what’s going to happen in the second one, the third one, or the fourth one, if that continues the same way? Probably it’s unsustainable.”
Planning for Saka’s Absence
Arteta stated that he and his coaching staff are working on ways to adapt in Saka’s absence.
“We went through the period (this season) without Martin (Odegaard), we went through the period with five, six defenders missing, we went through the period without many other players,” Arteta explained. “We will continue to do that – finding ways and taking it with positive energy.”
Confidence in Saka’s Recovery
Despite the setback, Arteta expressed confidence that Saka would return well before the end of the season.
“It’s part of the development of a player,” Arteta said. “At some stage, at this level, you are going to get injured – unfortunately badly. It could have been worse… It’s how you react to that, how you overcome that situation.”
