Bukayo Saka
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The early withdrawal of Arsenal star Bukayo Saka in the Gunners’ 5-1 demolition of Crystal Palace has sparked concerns about his fitness as the Premier League title race heats up. Saka limped off just 24 minutes into the match, leaving fans anxious after seeing him on crutches post-match at Selhurst Park.
The win, which followed Arsenal’s 3-2 Carabao Cup triumph earlier in the week, moved the Gunners within two points of second-placed Chelsea. However, Saka’s injury has overshadowed the victory, with debate already swirling about how Arsenal might cope without their key winger.
Injury analyst Physio Scout provided an initial assessment via social media platform X, offering a measured outlook on the condition of Bukayo Saka. The expert noted that Saka appeared to be nursing his lower hamstring, suggesting that a severe hamstring tear is unlikely.
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“It’s extremely hard to predict the length of muscle injuries based on video, but the reaction and the use of crutches point towards at least a muscle strain, rather than tightness,” Physio Scout explained.
Bukayo Saka left the field early in the first half with a hamstring injury.
Just like a previous hamstring injury while playing for England, it looked like he did his hamstring while putting a cross in.
Hamstring injuries are one of the more frequent and recurring injuries for… pic.twitter.com/PFxVTZ4ELS
— Physio Scout | Football Injury Analysis (@physioscout) December 21, 2024
The analyst outlined three potential recovery scenarios depending on the severity of the injury, which will be confirmed after scans:
Grade 1 strain: 2-4 weeks
Grade 2 strain: 4-6 weeks
Grade 3 strain: 8-10 weeks
“This is more likely a grade 1/2 hamstring strain. It would be very unlucky if he suffered a grade 3, but that is more correlated with injuries higher up on the hamstring,” the analyst added.
Speaking after the match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted Saka’s injury is a significant worry.
“He felt something in his hamstring, he couldn’t continue, and he’ll have to be assessed. So, we’re really worried about that one,” Arteta said.
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On whether the injury is a recurrence of a previous issue, Arteta noted: “I’m not sure if it’s exactly the same one or the same leg. It’s the third minor injury; I don’t know how big this one is going to be, but he already had two of them.”
Arteta also lamented the impact of the congested fixture schedule, which has seen his squad stretched thin.
“With the amount of games we are playing every three days, this schedule doesn’t surprise me, but the team will react to that.”
Arsenal will now await the results of Saka’s scan to determine the extent of his injury and how long he might be sidelined. The Gunners face Ipswich Town at home on Boxing Day as they continue their push for the Premier League title. With Saka potentially absent, Arteta may need to look to his squad or the January transfer window for reinforcements.
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