Arsenal have been dealt two massive injury blows ahead of their clash against Liverpool at Anfield on Matchday 3 of the Premier League.
The Gunners have started their season in splendid fashion with Mikel Arteta’s side grabbing all 6 points on offer so far. After a narrowly contested victory against Manchester United, Arsenal were up for it against Leeds United.
Arsenal emerged victorious by 5 goals in their first home game of the season at the Emirates Stadium. Jurrien Timber, Viktor Gyokeres and Bukayo Saka had all arrived with their goal-scoring boots. Timber and Gyokeres each got on the scoresheet twice.
Mikel Arteta will be a concerned figure heading into the next week with two of his first-team regulars nursing injuries in the sickbay. Club captain, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka were both substituted off the field of play after picking up knocks to their shoulder and hamstring, respectively.
The situation with Odegaard
Martin Odegaard was visibly unhappy as the first half progressed. Mikel Arteta was quick to notice the discomfort Odegaard was enduring and replaced him with Ethan Nwaneri in the 38th minute. The Spanish gaffer’s action seemed preventive rather than reactive, keeping in mind the long season that awaits Arsenal.
The exact details of the injury are yet to be discovered. Credible sources at the Sun claim that the captain will be ready in time to make the trip to Anfield. The 26-year-old Norwegian is pivotal to plans at Arsenal.
Read – Arsenal set to concede transfer battle to Premier League rivals
Another hamstring injury for Saka
Saka had also done his hamstring last season and spent nearly three months on the sidelines. The player scored right on the brink of halftime and spent less than 10 minutes on the pitch after the restart. Leandro Trossard was brought on to replace Saka.
Ironically, the captain’s armband had to be passed on twice as both Odegaard and Saka went off the pitch. The match ended with the armband on Gabriel’s arm.
Mikel Arteta addressed the media post the 5-0 thumping of Leeds United. Speaking on Saka’s injury, Arteta stated –
“He felt something while he was sprinting. That’s never a good sign.
But he’s had these injuries before. He knows exactly the feeling of that.”
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The gaffer also confirmed that Saka has not re-injured the same hamstring as last season. The player’s injury also does not seem that critical at first glance. According to reports, Saka could spend three to four weeks away from action.
Implying that not only will the English international miss the Gunners’ trip to Anfield, it will also be a race against time for Arteta & Co. to have him fit and ready for next month’s Manchester City clash on September 21st.
Arsenal faced severe consequences due to massive injury setbacks last season. The club already have Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard nursing injuries. Arteta will be determined to get a grip on things this time around.
Liverpool avoid further injuries in combative win over Newcastle
Liverpool faced the team they are trying to sign Alexander Isak from and were lucky to avoid any further injuries in their spicy 3-2 win over Newcastle which saw Anthony Gordon sent off for a nasty foul on Virgil van Dijk. The Reds’ 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha made history as the youngest scorer in the club’s history as he netted the 100th minute winner at St James Park.
There was plenty of passion on the field with Dan Burn and captain Bruno Guimaraes also lucky not to see red as Newcastle played the second half with 10 men coming back from 2-0 down before Ngumoha stole it late on for Liverpool. The good news for Newcastle if there is any is that England man Gordon will be available for their Champions League opener and will only miss games vs PL lesser outfits in Wolves, Leeds and Bournemouth.
Alexis Mac Allister and Jeremie Frimpong look like they will be unavailable to face the Gunners. Mac Allister has the best chance of being ready for the last game before the international break with Conor Bradley hoping to be fit to replace Dominik Szoboszlai as the right back.
Crucially Liverpool and Arsenal both have a maximum 6 points from their opening 2 games with Arsenal moving ahead of Liverpool as the favourites to lift the PL title after they dismantled Leeds on Saturday.