Saka, Merino & Dowman: Latest Arsenal injury news and expected return dates ahead of Chelsea clashplaceholder image
Saka, Merino & Dowman: Latest Arsenal injury news and expected return dates ahead of Chelsea clash | Getty Images
The latest Arsenal injury news - including updates on Bukyao Saka and Mikel Merino.
Arsenal are back in action on Tuesday evening when they face Chelsea in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final – but will be looking to finish the job without two of their most important players due to recent injuries.
Bukayo Saka pulled out of the squad for the weekend win over Leeds United after suffering a last-minute injury, while Mikel Merino was another unexpected absentee and could not be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to an issue with his foot.
We’ve got updates on both Saka and Merino below, along with all the rest of the latest Arsenal injury news ahead of their game against Chelsea and next Saturday’s Premier League match with Sunderland.
Could Bukayo Saka play against Chelsea after injury scare?
Winger Bukayo Saka was expected to start against Leeds over the weekend but pulled out of the squad at the eleventh hour after sustaining what appeared to be a hamstring injury in the warm-up.
Speaking immediately after the 4-0 win over Leeds, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told the press that he believed that the injury was no more than a “little niggle” but that he was ultimately uncertain of the severity of the issue – but a more recent update from Arteta suggests that Saka has indeed escaped a major injury.
Discussing Saka’s situation on Monday evening, Arteta said that “today he was better, but we have to wait and see… It doesn't look like something too serious. Whether he's going to be available for tomorrow or the weekend, we'll see.”
The 24-year-old remains a serious doubt for the game against Chelsea but should train over the course of the week. The concern about a potential hamstring injury is especially acute given that he missed five matches with a similar issue this season, an injury which itself came less than half a year after he returned from a three-month lay-off with another hamstring problem. On this occasion, however, it appears that the damage was limited and Saka is not set for another long spell on the sidelines.
How long will Arsenal’s Mikel Merino be out for?
There’s less positive news about midfielder Mikel Merino, unfortunately, and the Spaniard is now set to miss most of the rest of the season after suffering on a foot injury.
The 29-year-old sustained the injury during Arsenal’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United last weekend and will now undergo surgery this week. Arteta has told the press that Merino will be “out of action for an extended period, with the aim of returning to full training before the end of the season."
A precise timeline for his return has yet to be established, but he is unlikely to be available again within the next 10 weeks, meaning that a late April return date is perhaps the most optimistic target. His injury made Arsenal consider a transfer deadline day deal for a new midfielder, but they opted not to spend in the end – rumours suggesting that they had made a bid for Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali proved to be well wide of the mark.
The only other Arsenal player currently out injured is teenager Max Dowman, who is expected to be back in full training within the next two weeks following ankle ligament damage sustained in December.
Continue Reading