Arteta Confirms Arsenal Will Be Without Bukayo Saka For Many Weeks Due To Injury

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Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal will be without Bukayo Saka for several weeks due to a hamstring injury. Saka was substituted in the 24th minute during Arsenal's 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, with Leandro Trossard taking his place. The injury leaves Arteta with a significant gap in his attacking lineup, especially during the busy festive period.

Arsenal faces a challenging schedule ahead, including matches against Ipswich Town and Brentford, followed by Premier League games against Brighton, Tottenham, and Aston Villa. Additionally, they have an EFL Cup semi-final against Newcastle United and an FA Cup third-round clash with Manchester United under Ruben Amorim's management.

Saka has been instrumental for Arsenal this season, contributing nine goals and 13 assists across all competitions. In the Premier League alone, only Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer have been involved in more goals than Saka. His creativity is evident as he has created 42 chances, second only to Chelsea's Palmer.

"It's not looking good," Arteta stated regarding Saka's condition. "He's going to be out for many weeks. It is what it is. He's injured; we cannot change it. We're going to use this time now to help him." When asked if Saka had torn something in his hamstring, Arteta confirmed: "Yes."

Arteta is considering Gabriel Martinelli as a potential replacement on the right wing during Saka's absence. Martinelli scored in the recent match against Crystal Palace and has shown promise in that position before. "Yeah, that's the first one we went through," Arteta mentioned about Martinelli stepping into the role.

Martinelli's performance against Palace was impressive; he had the most touches in the opposition box and created more chances than any other teammate. His goal-scoring record against Palace is notable, having scored six Premier League goals against them.

Exploring Other Options

Arteta is open to experimenting with different players over the Christmas period. Gabriel Jesus has returned to form with five goals in his last two games for Arsenal, all against Palace. Ethan Nwaneri has also caught Arteta's attention with his performances.

"Gabby [Jesus] has played there," Arteta noted about potential replacements for Saka's position. "Ethan [Nwaneri] has played there; Leo [Trossard] can play there depending on how that unit moves." Kai Havertz is another option Arteta might consider as he explores various strategies.

The loss of Saka presents a challenge for Arsenal as they navigate their upcoming fixtures without one of their key players. However, Arteta remains optimistic about finding effective solutions within his squad to maintain their competitive edge during this crucial period.