Mikel Arteta has expressed concern over the injuries to Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice following Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday.
The Gunners were forced to settle for a point at Stamford Bridge, with Gabriel Martinelli’s excellent strike canceled out by Pedro Neto, who equalized shortly after the hour mark. Leandro Trossard had a chance to secure all three points for Arsenal in the dying seconds, but his shot went wide.
However, the result wasn’t the only issue for Arteta, as both Saka and Rice were forced to leave the pitch early. Saka limped off after a clash with Marc Cucurella, while Rice was substituted for Mikel Merino after appearing to suffer a foot injury.
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“They [Saka and Rice] don’t look very good,” Arteta said after the match. “I don’t know [if it’s long-term]. They both couldn’t finish the game, so it’s not good.”
The Arsenal manager also admitted his frustration with the result, adding, “The disappointment of not getting three points is bigger [than being satisfied], and it will probably be bigger after watching it back. I think we dominated them, we were the better team in many phases, and after going ahead, I’m very disappointed in the way we conceded. It was so poor. It’s not our standards, and we don’t accept that.”
Arsenal will next face Nottingham Forest on November 23, following the international break.