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Liverpool are six points above Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
Mikel Arteta has admitted Arsenal are braced to be without two forwards for a significant period.
The Gunners are six points behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race. And as the Emirates Stadium outfit try to close to gap on the Reds, they will have to cope without talisman Bukayo Saka. The winger sustained a hamstring injury in a 5-1 win over Crystal Palace last weekend. He was spotted leaving Selhurst Park on crutches.
Saka has recorded nine goals and 13 assists in all competitions this season. But Arsenal are braced to be without the 23-year-old for ‘many weeks’. Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: It’s not looking good. He’s going to be out for many weeks. Many. I cannot be too specific because I don’t know, but it will be many weeks.
“Yes it’s a huge one [blow]. Obviously he’s a big player for us. You just have to see the impact that he has on the team, but it’s going to be a really good exercise for all of us to think about ways to overcome another challenge, because we’ve already had a lot in the season.
“He was gutted. You can tell that he's not been injured because he was really, really emotional. He was really down and we need to lift him up because it's part of what we do. It's part of what he does. It's part of his job, big part of his job, he will be fine, but I think he's going to need a few days.
“He's going to immediately realize that he's so important in that dressing room. So his energy level, his body language, the way he communicates with the rest of the team has to be really, really good because it's the only way at the moment that he can help. So he better do that well.”
To compound Arsenal’s frustrations, Raheem Sterling is set to be absent for ‘a while’. The forward, on a season-long loan from Chelsea, has a knee issue so cannot step up to the plate in Saka’s absence.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s clash against Ipswich Town on Friday, Arteta added: “He’s going to be out for weeks. He needs some further testing tomorrow to understand the extent of the injury. It’s his knee and we have to wait another 24 hours, but unfortunately he’s going to be out for a while.
“We have to look internally at what we have and be creative, do a very good exercise again. How can we mould the squad? How can we adapt to the circumstances and be different? We cannot pretend to be the same. We’re going to have to be different and try to find the best way to do it and be very competitive and win a lot of games.”
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