With Arsenal’s title hopes hanging by a thread, Mikel Arteta delivered what may have well as been a lump of coal on Monday – news Bukayo Saka is out for “many weeks”, with some reports suggesting this injury could keep him out until March.
Saka was forced off in Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, leaving Selhurst Park on crutches after suffering a hamstring tear.
“It’s not looking good,” Arteta said. “He’s going to be out for many weeks. I cannot be too specific because I don’t know, but it will be many weeks.
“It’s a huge blow. He’s obviously a big player for us and you just have to see the impact that he has had on the team. But it’s going to be a really good exercise for us to think of ways to overcome another challenge because we’ve had a lot over the season.”
Saka has scored nine goals and assisted 12 times in the Premier League and Champions League this season, with the England international unsurprisingly proving crucial during Martin Odegaard’s own injury absence.
But “many weeks” could yet be at least two months, with the Daily Mail reporting Arsenal fear Saka will be out until at least March.
In January alone Arsenal have nine fixtures, with tricky away trips to Brentford and Brighton in the league before they host Tottenham and Aston Villa. An early February date with Manchester City is also an indication Arsenal have no let-up during the time Saka may be out.
Arsenal’s next 10 fixtures
Premier League unless specified
- 27 December: Ipswich (h)
- 1 January: Brentford (a)
- 4 January: Brighton (a)
- 7 January: Newcastle (h) – Carabao Cup
- 12 January: Man Utd (h) – FA Cup
- 15 January: Tottenham (h)
- 18 January: Aston Villa (h)
- 22 January: Dinamo Zagreb (h) – Champions League
- 25 January: Wolves (a)
- 29 January: Girona (a) – Champions League
January also includes a home tie against Manchester United in the FA Cup, as well as their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Newcastle.
The Carabao Cup offers Arsenal an opportunity to end their drought, having last won a trophy of significance in 2020.
On that occasion, Saka was an unused substitute in Arsenal’s 2-1 FA Cup final win over Chelsea, a sign of how quickly the 23-year-old has emerged as a force for both club and country.
Still, 2019-20 was his breakthrough year, and in both 2021-22 and 2022-23 he featured in all 38 Premier League games – making games he has missed few and far between.
It therefore makes Arsenal’s record without him pretty much irrelevant. This season when Saka was out with a leg injury, Arsenal won 1-0 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk and lost 2-0 at Bournemouth in October.
Last season, when finishing runners-up behind Manchester City, Saka missed just three league games, with Arsenal winning them all – including 1-0 at City in October 2023.
This is therefore an indication that Arsenal are entering the unknown. The Gunners won seven, drew three and lost twice – both in the Premier League – without Odegaard, and now they look set to face their longest-ever spell without Saka in the side since he broke through.
What that means, we will soon find out, but sitting six points behind leaders Liverpool – who have a game in hand – it really is a crucial period where Saka’s teammates must pull together to keep them within a shot of what from New Year’s Day will be a 21-year wait for league glory.
That looks a tall order already.
