Arsenal’s injury epidemic may have just gone from bad to worse as Bukayo Saka limped out of the North London derby.
The England international was taken off in the 86th minute of the tight affair with Mikel Arteta’s men leading 1-0. He was replaced by 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.
The change didn’t seem to be a strategic tinstead it looked to be a forced one as the 23-year-old went down moments before with a suspected injury.
In the 84th minute the 23-year-old dropped to the floor clutching both of his legs, immediately shaking his head before receiving treatment and staying on the pitch.
However moments later, he was subbed out of the game, limping off to the bench to witness his side see the game out against their bitter rivals.
Bukayo Saka went off injured in the 86th minute of the North London derby
The 23-year-old limped off after going to the floor and clutching both of his legs
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Saka’s injury is a major blow to Arsenal as they are already without Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko due to injury.
Both Mikel Areta and Arsenal fans will now be fearing the worst as they gear up to play Atalanta away in the Champions League on Thursday.
Before they travel to the Etihad on Sunday where they will face title rivals Manchester City in the Premier League next week.
Saka has been a key part of Mikel Arteta’s title contending team and proved today once again why is one of the first names in the Spaniard’s starting eleven line-up as he assisted Gabriel’s second-half winner, which was enough to see the Gunners take all three points in the might clash.
Arsenal’s injury woes first began earlier this summer when new signing Mikel Merino suffered a fractured shoulder in his first training
Arsenal’s injury woes first began earlier this summer when new signing Mikel Merino suffered a fractured shoulder in his first training after joining the North London side from Real Sociedad for £31.6million.
With the Spanish international confirmed to be out for a lengthy spell on the sideline and is is set to miss close to two months of action.
Their injury list worsened during the international break when both Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori picked up injuries playing for Norway and Italy respectively.
Odegaard is set to miss at least three weeks of action after suffering an ankle injury with Norway on international duty.
The Arsenal captain limped off in the second half of his country’s 2-1 win over Austria in the Nations League on Monday in worrying signs for Gunners supporters.
Odegaard appeared to be in tears as he hobbled off the pitch, before he was later seen on crutches as he limped on to a private jet, with the issue described as a ‘bad ankle injury’.
Both Odegaard and Calafiori picked up injuries during the international break
As for Calafiroi, he suffered a freak injury in Italy’s victory over France in their Nations League clash.
The Italian defender suffered a freak blow to his ankle after Ousmane Dembele landed on him, having been tackled himself.
Italy’s Alessandro Bastoni won the ball from the winger but caught him on the follow-through with Dembele’s flailing leg subsequently connecting with Calafiori.