Bukayo Saka will be out for “many weeks” due to a hamstring injury the Arsenal striker sustained against Crystal Palace on Saturday, coach Mikel Arteta said.
Saka, who has nine goals and 12 assists in 21 Premier League and Champions League games this season, was substituted in the 24th minute of his side’s 5-1 win at Selhurst Park.
The England international missed two games in October with a hamstring injury but started all of Arsenal’s other games in the top flight and in Europe.
“It could have been much worse” 🗣️
Mikel Arteta reveals Bukayo Saka will be out for many weeks. pic.twitter.com/GMTOQv4VbO
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 23, 2024
Saka injury: How long will he be out?
“It doesn’t look good,” said Arteta. “He will be out for many weeks. (It’s) another part of a player’s development. At some point at this level you will get hurt.
“It could have been much worse. It could have been something else that could knock you out for a year. It depends on how you react and how you deal with this situation.
“It’s a great learning process for him too. It is what it is. He’s hurt – we can’t change that. We will use this time to help him.”
When asked if he feared Saka might not return in 2024/25, Arteta replied: “No. I am very optimistic that he will be back before the end of the season.”
Most goal contributions by Premier League players in all competitions this season:
32 – Mohamed Salah
22 – Bukayo Saka
19 – Erling HaalandIn a league of its own 📈 pic.twitter.com/DNbRFcc56a
– Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 22, 2024
Saka stats: How will Arsenal replace him?
The 23-year-old has the third-most goals and assists combined in the Premier League, behind Chelsea’s Cole Palmer with 17 and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah with 26.
Arsenal academy youngster Saka has the eighth-highest points total of any player in Europe’s five major leagues in this regard, putting him ahead of the likes of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.
“I’m working on some ideas at the moment,” Arteta said when asked how he will deal with Saka’s absence. “I haven’t done it yet, but I have a few.
“Then I also want to talk to (the players) to understand how we can generate that and use it positively because that means we will be different.
“We went through the time with Martin (Odegaard was absent for 10 games in the Premier League and Europe this season) and the time with five or six defenders missing. We approach it with positive energy.”
“If there was a perfect time for him to get injured, it would be now.”
Les Ferdinand says a break could benefit Bukayo Saka 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/bxA1HrudsN
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 22, 2024
Premier League table
Arsenal are third in the table, six points behind leaders Liverpool, who still have a game in hand.
The Gunners are two points clear of fourth-placed Nottingham Forest and host second-from-bottom Ipswich Town on Friday (8.15pm GMT).
