When Arsenal hosts FC Zurich at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night in the Europa League, Mikel Arteta might be forced to play without Bukayo Saka.
Update on Bukayo Saka’s injury from Mikel Arteta
The only drawback to Arsenal’s Saturday 5-0 victory against Nottingham Forest was seeing Bukayo Saka hobble off the field.
The England international’s afternoon was cut short shortly before the half-hour mark after receiving two treatments from club doctor Gary O’Driscoll for the injury that contributed to Gabriel Martinelli’s goal that put the game on even terms.
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The Gunners didn’t miss a beat despite Saka’s absence thanks to goals from Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey as well as a stunning Reiss Nelson cameo, but as was to be expected, supporters were more worried about Saka’s injury than they were about the team regaining the top spot in the Premier League.
Gareth Southgate, the manager of England, is also concerned about the winger’s fitness ahead of the Three Lions’ World Cup campaign opener against Iran in just under three weeks. These matches are against FC Zurich, Chelsea, Brighton, and Wolves this month.
Since the end of the Forest game, there have been some encouraging developments involving the winger. Mikel Arteta first gave the following update: When asked if Saka is a doubt for the World Cup, he responded, “Hopefully not. “That kick wasn’t good. He started limping right away, but I don’t see anything more than that. Check back in a few days to see how he is doing. Both [foot or ankle] come to mind. He was uncomfortable since he had been kicked several times.”
And according to our friends at the Mirror, Saka’s ability to leave the Emirates Stadium on Sunday without assistance and the fact that he was afterwards seen in the players’ room may be signs that he has not sustained a serious injury.
Additionally, according to the source, Arsenal will evaluate his condition and reach a decision before the last Europa League Group match against Zurich on Thursday night.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Saka wasn’t risked with the Chelsea match three days away, even if the north London team needs to win against the Swiss opposition to avoid a knockout play-off round match against a third-placed Champions League team when the competition begins in the new year.
If Arteta adopts this strategy, three of the four available alternatives to Saka versus Zurich are right in front of him courtesy to his £82 million summer transfer window expenditure. Following his transfer from Porto, much has been made of Fabio Vieira’s versatility because he can play both outside and in central midfield.
When asked what position he envisaged the 22-year-old playing, Arteta responded, “We are already trying him in numerous positions in training.” He has experience playing in a variety of positions, including the left, right, as a false nine, and as an offensive midfielder, which is ideal for us because he doesn’t want to be restricted to just one.
comparable summer signing Marquinhos, who made his first competitive appearance for the team against Zurich on matchday one, has already drawn attention this season. Gabriel Jesus, who previously played as a right winger for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, is also capable of playing in that position.
In addition to those three players, Nelson seems to be the favorite to be selected if Saka is unable to participate on Thursday. After all, the 22-year-old took advantage of his chance against Forest by scoring twice and providing an assist, and he merits another start as Arsenal aims to win their Europa League group.