%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Bukayo Saka's injury return could come at the perfect time for Arsenal.
We haven't seen Bukayo Saka in an Arsenal shirt since the 5-1 win over Crystal Palace back in December, with the winger suffering a hamstring injury that required surgery.
That threw Arsenal's Premier League title plans into chaos, and then the season-ending injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz happened, which played a major role in Liverpool now being 12 points clear at the summit.
But prior to the Chelsea clash, Mikel Arteta stated that Saka had the potential to possibly return after the international break against Fulham, which was music to fans' ears.
However, being out for over three months will mean that Saka is going to be a little rusty on game day, but that is a small price to pay for having your best player back on the pitch.
While the Premier League title is basically out of reach, Arsenal is into the quarter finals of the Champions League against Real Madrid, which gives Saka two league games to get as fine-tuned in as he can.
Saka the ace in Arsenal's deck?
As things stand, Arsenal will have a tough time beating the Spanish giants over two legs, with the first clash at the Emirates being crucial to how the side progresses, and a first leg like the Newcastle clash in the Carabao Cup can't happen.
But this is where Saka's return could be an injection of positivity that this Arsenal side needs, and it needs it now.
As things stand, not many would give the Gunners much of a shot at shooting down Madrid.
But what if Saka was in the ranks?
Those odds get significantly boosted. Now, we aren't saying his return would seal Arsenal's progression, but what it could do for the Gunners' play style and how the front three could interchange, not to mention the link-up with Saka and Ben White down the right-hand side that gave teams fits last season.
So there is that thread to pull.
Without Saka, many times the Arsenal attack has looked rather toothless, and not just from a goal-scoring perspective, but a proper chance creation perspective too.
Both theoretically could be fixed with No. 7's return.
And that is why the importance of Saka's impending return can't be understated as it might be the reason Arsenal does or doesn't progress in the Champions League.