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3 ways Arsenal can try to cope without Bukayo Saka

  • Bukayo Saka limped off against Crystal Palace last week
  • Mikel Arteta expects that he will be without him for weeks
  • However, there are ways Arsenal can cope with his absence
ByKenneth Daly|
Bukayo Saka will be out for the foreseeable future
Bukayo Saka will be out for the foreseeable future | Julian Finney/GettyImages
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2. Give the youth a chance

Ethan Nwaneri
Ethan Nwaneri could benefit from the Saka injury | James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

Could it be time for Ethan Nwaneri to shine?

Many thought it would come when Martin Odegaard got hurt in September but, alas, more chances did not materialise – he earned just 52 minutes of action across the eight Premier League matches played without the captain.

However, the 17-year-old is also adept out wide and injuries to both Saka and Raheem Sterling might force Arteta to grant him more responsibility.

Every cameo this term suggests Nwaneri is up to the task. Of course, his strikes against Nottingham Forest and Preston grabbed most attention, but he often impresses beyond the scoresheet thanks to his energy, youthful fearlessness and creative spark; Saka-like traits which are not all that common among the squad.

His big, (sort of) sudden break now would mirror that of Saka’s all those years ago and Arsenal will hope for similar results.

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