LONDON — Bukayo Saka will miss more than two months after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury, Mikel Arteta has says.
Saka limped out of Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Crystal Palace on December 21, the latest hammer blow of a season in which the Gunners have suffered a string of injuries to key players. None will be more profoundly felt than the absence of their leading chance creator, assist provider, ball progressor and shot taker.
“He had a procedure, everything went well but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks,” said Arteta, who added when pressed for a timescale: “I said many weeks. I think it will be more than two months. I don’t know exactly how much longer. I think it will depend on the scar tissue that starts to heel in the first week or so, the mobility of that. Let’s see.”
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Even if Arteta’s assessment is slightly too conservative, an absence of just the two months would see Saka miss a further nine Premier League games at a time when Arsenal need a winning run to haul in Liverpool. He would also miss the remainder of the Champions League league phase games, the knockout round if Arsenal are required to play it and may even be a doubt for the round of 16.
Saka was not the only forward missing from the Arsenal side that ran out 1-0 winners over Ipswich, Raheem Sterling missing from a second straight Premier League matchday squad with a knee injury. That, however, is progressing encouragingly for Arsenal.
“The news with Raz I think is better,” said Arteta. “We have to see this week how he evolves but we expected the injury to probably take longer than actually the way the knee is evolving in the last few days. Hopefully that’s good because we need it.”
Sterling has struggled to impress since joining on loan from Chelsea on deadline day but given Saka’s absence opportunities will doubtless come his way to turn the tide. Replacing Saka will surely be beyond a 30 year old who appears to be in decline but, robbed of one of the Premier League’s best players, Arsenal are going to need all the hope they can get.
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