Bukayo Saka is bracing for a potentially damaging layoff at a crucial point in Arsenal’s season.
The 23-year-old suffered a hamstring injury during Arsenal’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday evening.
Saka is set to undergo scans to determine the extent of the damage, which flared up in the same area where he previously experienced discomfort while on England duty earlier this season.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed significant concern over the injury, stating he was “pretty worried” in his post-match comments.
He is expected to provide a further update during Monday’s press conference.
The sight of Saka leaving Selhurst Park on crutches after being helped off the pitch in the first half has heightened fears that the injury may be more severe than initially thought.
Even a minor hamstring tear could sideline Saka for up to six weeks, a blow that would come at a challenging time for Arsenal.
The Gunners face a packed schedule, including a trip to Ipswich on December 27, Brentford on New Year’s Day, a Carabao Cup semi-final in January, an FA Cup third-round clash with Manchester United, and two decisive Champions League group-stage fixtures.
Saka has been pivotal for Arsenal this season, registering five goals and ten assists in the Premier League.
His absence would compound Arsenal’s injury woes, with the team’s form already dipping earlier in the campaign when captain Martin Odegaard was unavailable.
Arteta also confirmed after the Palace game that Raheem Sterling, who missed the match due to an injury sustained in training, will undergo further evaluation.
However, there is optimism that Sterling’s issue is minor, and he could step in to fill the void left by Saka if required.
Reflecting on the growing list of injuries, Arteta acknowledged the challenges but declined to provide specific details about Saka’s condition, admitting only that the situation was concerning.
“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. He felt something in his hamstring, he couldn’t continue, and he’ll have to be assessed,” Arteta said.
“So, we’re really worried about that one. 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.
“And Raheem as well, we lost Raheem yesterday. We don’t know for how long as well.
“So, to lose two players in 24 hours is not good.
“Unfortunately, with the amount of games that we are playing every three days with this schedule, it doesn’t surprise me but the team will react to that.
“It’s so difficult for any team to win it in any competition so anything can happen.
“We want to put our noses right in there and compete the way we are competing every single game, let’s see what happens.”
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