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Arsenal are set to be without Bukayo Saka for the next number of weeks at least
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka could reportedly be out for months rather than weeks with the Gunners said to be fearing a long lay-off for their star forward. The England international has the second most assists in the Premier League this season with 10. He has also chipped in with five goals.
However, he is facing a spell on the sidelines after he left Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Crystal Palace on crutches. Saka has had three hamstring injuries already this season but the Daily Mail reports the latest issue is a tear that will see him spent a few months out with a return not likely until late February or early March. It is a major blow to the club’s Premier League title hopes as they already sit six points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand ahead of the Boxing Day fixtures.
What Mikel Arteta has said
Providing an update on the player’s injury, Arsenal boss Arteta said: “It’s not looking good. He’s going to be out for many weeks. I cannot be too specific because I don’t know, but it will be many weeks. 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. In football, with injuries, I wouldn’t want to put my ten fingers there! But I would be very optimistic that he is going to be well back before the end of the season.
On how difficult not playing will be for Saka: “It’s part of the development of a player. At some stage, at this level, you are going to get injured – unfortunately badly. It could have been worse, it could have been something else that can take you out for a year. It’s how you react to that, how you overcome that situation. It’s a great learning process for him as well. It is what it is, he’s injured, we cannot change it. How are we going to use this time now to help him for the following years in his career?”
Raheem Sterling also out
Saka’s potential replacement in Sterling is also facing a period of time out, as Arteta said ahead of facing Ipswich Town on Friday: “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.”
Arteta admits that there is the possibility Arsenal could look to solve the injuries woes in the January transfer window. He added: “Yes, the preparation is done. We are ready if something happens. Obviously we didn’t predict the situation with Bukayo and Raheem at the same time. We predicted more if something has happened, for example, in the defensive line. But the job is done. Then, okay, if something has to happen we will be open. But the main focus is now how we should strive to distil the potential that there is in this squad.”
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