Mikel Arteta Confirms Bukayo Saka Suffered a Torn Hamstring Injury, Sidelined for “Many Weeks”

Arsenal’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Crystal Palace may have boosted their title hopes, but it came at a hefty cost. The joy of the win was overshadowed by a gut-wrenching sight for Gunners fans as their beloved "Starboy," Bukayo Saka, was forced off the pitch just 20 minutes into the game.

Post-match visuals painted a grim picture, with Saka spotted leaving Selhurst Park on crutches. The worst fears of Arsenal supporters were soon realized when manager Mikel Arteta confirmed the devastating news. Speaking at a press conference, Arteta revealed that Bukayo Saka will be sidelined for “many weeks” with a torn hamstring. He said, “It's not looking good. 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." With Saka now sidelined for the foreseeable future, Mikel Arteta must come up with a gameplan that keeps Arsenal in the title hunt.  

When asked about how he plans to replace Saka – a player who has scored five goals and provided 10 assists in the Premier League – Arteta admitted that he still hasn’t come up with a plan. But he expects the players currently at his disposal to step up, rather than having to dip into the transfer market in January. “I’m putting some ideas together. I haven’t got there yet but I have a few,” Arteta said. “I want to speak with them as well to understand how we are going to generate that and take it in a positive way. It means we’re going to be different. We went through the period with Martin (Ødegaard, being injured) and the period with five, six defenders missing. We’re looking at it with positive energy.” 

This season has been particularly tough on Bukayo Saka, with the hamstring injury against Crystal Palace marking his third such setback. It all began in October when he pulled out of England duty following a Nations League clash. Then, in November, he was forced off against Chelsea after feeling discomfort, ruling him out of another international call-up. Saka’s resilience has been nothing short of incredible, having missed only seven Premier League games in the last three-and-a-half seasons. Yet, this relentless schedule may have taken its toll. Mikel Arteta himself has suggested that Saka’s heavy workload is finally catching up to him. The Arsenal boss hinted that the young star’s grueling minutes on the pitch might have played a role in these recurring injuries. “It’s probably the accumulation of all the seasons,” he said. “For example, Bukayo and Declan (Rice) played over 130 games (each) in the past two seasons, so what’s going to happen in the third one and the fourth one if that continues in that way? Probably it’s unsustainable. Unless we find ways to physically turn them into monsters who can cope with anything.” 

Besides Saka, the Gunners also have to deal with another fresh injury absence. Arteta also confirmed that Raheem Sterling is set for a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury. "He is going to be out for weeks," said Arteta. "He needs some further testing tomorrow." The Gunners next face Ipswich at Emirates Stadium in the league on 27th December. 

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