Mikel Arteta Worried As Bukayo Saka Faces New Injury Concern

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted he was “pretty worried” over an injury suffered by star winger Bukayo Saka in Saturday’s 5-1 win over Crystal Palace.

Saka, who had to leave the game early in the first half, was spotted on crutches as he exited Selhurst Park following a match that brought the Gunners within three points of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

“He (Saka) felt something in his hamstring,” Arteta said.

“He couldn’t continue. He will have to be assessed, so I’m pretty worried about that one.

“It’s very difficult to give a prognosis now. They have tested him inside but it’s very difficult to say how bad it is.”

Arteta added, “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.”

The injury is an even greater setback for Arsenal, especially after the team lost Raheem Sterling to a training ground injury on Friday.

Sterling, who has played 11 games for the Gunners since arriving from Chelsea on loan, will undergo tests with Arsenal’s medical team to determine the extent of the injury.

This is not the first hamstring injury Saka has experienced this season. The winger had to limp off while on international duty with England during the October break and was out for a few weeks, missing Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth.

Saka also picked up a leg injury in May which forced him to miss Arsenal’s final game of last season against Everton.

“I’m not sure if it’s the same one,” said Arteta about whether he has aggravated his hamstring injury from a few months ago. “It’s in the same leg. He had the third minor injury – I don’t know how big this is going to be. But he already had two.”

Arsenal won 5-1 at Crystal Palace to move within three points of Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand ahead of a trip to Tottenham on Sunday.

Arsenal’s upcoming matches include a clash against struggling Ipswich on Friday, followed by a game against Brentford on New Year’s Day, and a matchup with Brighton just three days later as part of the holiday fixture schedule.