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Bukayo Saka’s Arsenal injury could be much worse
Arsenal came into Sunday’s North London Derby without a single first-team player missing through injury. The masses best have savoured that moment since it only last 45 minutes as Bukayo Saka was brought off at half-time of the 2-1 win over Tottenham.
Providing their usual injury updates before kick-off, Arsenal reveled in something they haven’t been able to say since November 2019: not a single senior player was absent through injury. Genuinely, it’s been that long.
So, of course, a duck, duck, goose situation was inevitable to see who was going to break the chain. Unsurprisingly, that burden fell on Bukayo Saka‘s shoulders having played a monumental volume of minutes this season.
Brought off at the break for Nicolas Pepe with the scores level at 1-1, the decision was never going to be tactical thus could only have been injury or fatigue related, as stated by Mikel Arteta post-match.
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1371219657395470342
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta provides Bukayo Saka injury update after 2-1 victory over Tottenham
"“We don’t know. He was feeling his hamstring, so we will monitor that,” the Spaniard told the official Arsenal website."
Saka had a strong first half. He was part of the youthful enclave that put excitement and energy on a pedestal over negativity and experience.
As Arsenal prepare for the second leg of their Europa League last 16 tie with Olympiacos before facing high-flying West Ham in the Premier League but four days later, his absence will be keenly felt if the issue is long-term.
Coming off as a precaution, there is hope that the issue has been nipped in the bud, as it were. It would require a cataclysmic capitulation on Thursday to surrender their commanding lead from the first leg of their European tie, thus Saka given time to recover for that clash is not a huge blow.
If anything, Pepe is a better fit for a clash where he will have the spaces in behind to hurt the Greek outfit given their need to score at least three goals to overturn the first leg deficit.
The Ivorian was a lively figure in the second half against Tottenham, likely frustrating himself with a few missed opportunities when in dangerous zones, but nevertheless threatening. He’ll have his gaze fixed on causing damage to a backline led by his former teammate.
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A fantastic away day in Athens means Saka’s injury timing could have been far worse.