Injury that will keep Arsenal out for ‘many weeks’ – Arteta

Bukayo Saka will be out for “many weeks” with the hamstring injury the Arsenal forward picked up against Crystal Palace on Saturday, manager Mikel Arteta said.

Saka, who has nine goals and 12 assists in 21 Premier League and Champions League appearances this season, was substituted in the 24th minute of his side’s 5-1 win at Selhurst Park.

The England international missed two games in October with a hamstring problem but has started all of Arsenal’s other games in the Premier League and in Europe.

“It could have been much worse” 🗣️

Mikel Arteta reveals that Bukayo Saka will be out for several weeks. pic.twitter.com/GMTOQv4VbO

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 23, 2024

Saka injury: How long is he out?

“It doesn’t look good,” Arteta said. “He will be out for many weeks. (It’s) another part of player development. At some stage in this level you will get injured.

“It could have been much worse. It could have been something else that can take you away for a year. It is important how you react to it, how you overcome that situation.

“And it’s a great learning process for him. It is what it is. He’s injured – we can’t change that. We will use this time to help him.”

When asked if he was worried that Saka might not return in 2024/25, Arteta replied: “No. I am very optimistic that he will be back before the end of the season.”

Most goals by a Premier League player in all competitions this season:

32 – Mohamed Salah
22 – Bukayo Saka
19 – Erling Haaland

In its own league 📈 pic.twitter.com/DNbRFcc56a

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 22, 2024

Saka stats: How will Arsenal replace him?

The 23-year-old is third in goals and assists combined in the Premier League, behind Chelsea’s Cole Palmer with 17 and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah who has 26.

Arsenal academy product Saka has the eighth highest total in this regard of any player in Europe’s big five leagues, putting him ahead of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.

“I’m gathering some ideas,” Arteta said when asked how he would deal with Saka’s absence. “I haven’t arrived yet, but I have a few.

“Then I want to talk with (the players), to understand how to generate it and use it in a positive way, because it means that we will be different.

“We went through a period with Martin (Odegaard absent, 10 games in the Premier League and Europe this season) and a period with five, six defenders missing. We receive it with positive energy.”

“If there was a perfect time to get injured, it would be now”

Les Ferdinand says Bukayo Saki could benefit from a break 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/bxA1HrudsN

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 22, 2024

Premier League table

Arsenal are third in the table and six points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

The Gunners are two points above fourth-placed Nottingham Forest and host second-placed Ipswich Town on Friday (20.15 GMT).