Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that Bukayo Saka could miss the Carabao Cup third round game against Brentford tonight as well as the Premier League clash at Bournemouth this weekend.
The 22-year-old has been in exceptional form for the London giants this season. He has contributed 4 goals and 4 assists from just 8 appearances for Arsenal. The club graduate has been pivotal in creating chances, but he could be missed for the upcoming games after picking up a foot injury in the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.
Speaking in the press conference before the Brentford trip, Arteta said that Saka was limping quite badly after the 2-2 draw against Spurs on Sunday. The Spaniard added that he had to be substituted and it is a possibility that he could miss the forthcoming matches versus Brentford and Bournemouth away from home.
He told reporters through Arsenal’s official website: “He was limping quite badly after the match. We had to get him off the field, which is never a good sign. It’s a possibility, yes [whether he could miss the Bournemouth game].”
Injury crisis
Arsenal’s injury problems are piling up at the moment. Before the North London derby at the Emirates Stadium, the club confirmed that Leandro Trossard had joined the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber on the injury list. At half-time, they suffered another blow as Declan Rice was substituted with a back issue.
Arteta has now practically confirmed that Saka is ruled out for the Brentford game and could possibly miss the South Coast trip to face Bournemouth too. Arsenal still have depth in the squad to deal with setbacks, but there is no one with the quality to replace Saka on the right wing seamlessly. His absence would leave a huge void for Arsenal.
The injuries to Martinelli, Saka and Trossard could see the likes of Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe get the opportunity to step up for the club. Arteta likes to ring in the changes in the League Cup but this time around, he could be forced into doing so with a number of key players already in the treatment room.
