Bukayo Saka faced a potential injury setback during Arsenal’s recent 2-0 triumph over Sevilla, further compounding Mikel Arteta’s mounting injury worries.
Despite the setback, the Gunners are on the brink of securing a spot in the Champions League knockout rounds, largely propelled by Saka’s stellar performance. In this match, he not only found the net but also orchestrated Leandro Trossard’s goal, eliciting joy from fans at the Emirates Stadium.
The injury unfolded in the dying moments, with the 22-year-old sustaining a knock after an awkward landing from a header challenge. Though attended to promptly by the team’s physiotherapists and attempting to soldier on initially, Saka was eventually substituted by Jakub Kiwior a few minutes later.
In his post-match press conference, Arteta expressed optimism about Saka’s condition, stating, “It was just a kick, and I was told by the physios on the radio he wasn’t happy to continue.” Despite anticipating some discomfort, Arteta hoped for a positive outcome, saying, “So he will have some discomfort but hopefully I am going to assume he will be OK.”
The match saw Saka subjected to robust challenges, with the opposition fouling him four times within the opening 14 minutes. Remarkably, none of these incidents resulted in a yellow card, underscoring the physical nature of the encounter.
On a positive note, Saka appears to be in good spirits after the victory over Sevilla. In an Instagram post, he shared his thoughts, saying, “Great response from the weekend. One step closer!” Interestingly, there was no mention of his injury, possibly hinting that it may not be a severe problem, raising hopes for his availability in the upcoming clash against Burnley.
Arteta, already grappling with a growing list of sidelined players due to injuries, including Eddie Nketiah, who was excluded from the squad against Sevilla, will be anxiously awaiting updates on Saka’s fitness.
The absence of a reference to the injury in Saka’s social media post provides a glimmer of hope that he might recover in time for the crucial match against Burnley.
