Bukayo Saka has added to Arsenal’s damage woes as Mikel Arteta revealed the England winger might miss the weekend journey to Bournemouth with a foot downside.
The 22-year-old scored from the penalty spot and noticed a first-half shot deflected in by Cristian Romero because the Gunners drew 2-2 at dwelling to north London rivals Tottenham on Sunday.
Saka, although, then limped off late within the sport to get replaced by Emile Smith Rowe and will certainly miss Wednesday’s Carabao Cup third-round conflict at Brentford, whereas his club-record run of 86 consecutive Premier League appearances can also be underneath menace.
Declan Rice was changed at half-time towards Spurs with a again challenge and forwards Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard missed the sport by way of damage, with Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey additionally sidelined.
Now Arteta is frightened Saka – who has 4 objectives in addition to 4 assists from the primary eight video games of the marketing campaign – might be part of that prolonged damage checklist.
“He was limping fairly badly after the match,” stated Arteta. “We needed to get him off the sphere, which isn’t a very good signal. He hasn’t been in a position to take part within the session.”
Requested if he might miss the Bournemouth sport, Arteta added: “It’s a chance, sure.”
Not one of the gamers at present on the remedy desk will likely be accessible for the London derby towards the Bees, with the identical quintet unlikely to return in time for Saturday’s journey to the south coast.
Saka might but make an look on the Vitality Stadium as Arteta as soon as once more highlighted the quantity of soccer being performed as a possible clarification for therefore many accidents.
“It’s true that they play with the nationwide groups and so they’re coming from a season the place that they had a World Cup and a few gamers performed 60-odd video games,” he stated.
“We’ve been unfortunate. Jurrien, for instance, was because of different causes, whereas Bukayo was as a result of somebody stepped on him.
“There are some traumatic accidents, others are extra muscular. We attempt to discover the methods to keep away from them however they’re part of soccer.
“It’s true that we’ve plenty of internationals in the previous couple of home windows and so they have numerous publicity to minutes however in the mean time we’ve a squad that’s not 24 gamers. To alter 11 or 12 gamers tomorrow is simply not a chance we’ve.”
Arteta prompt he might rotate on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium, with fringe gamers and younger expertise in line for a uncommon probability to impress.
“There are plenty of gamers who want minutes,” he stated. “Should you undergo the squad there are many gamers who haven’t had minutes and they’ll want publicity, that’s for positive.
“All of us educated at present. The road up, we couldn’t make it as a result of there are nonetheless some gamers who’re uncertain. So I’ll determine the very best group to place on the market.”
