Arsenal thumped Nottingham Forest 5-0 in their Premier League outing, as all did not end merrily for the Gunners. The Gunners’ and England starboy Bukayo Saka limped-off early in the game, giving fans and both his club and country managers a scare, just three weeks before the World Cup. The world tournament is slated to kick-off next month in Qatar, and Saka picking a knock just in time now has the Three Lions’ boss GFareth Southgate sweating. Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has issued an update on his key-player’s injury.
Arsenal were off to a flying start after Saka set-up his counterpart Gabriel Martinelli to open the scoring right in the 5th minute. However, just when everybody had thought they were in for a ‘Bukayo Saka masterclass’, the 21-year-old went down after fighting a duel with Forest’s Renan Lodi in the 27th minute. He couldn’t continue any further and called for his substitution, with Reiss Nelson replacing him.
Arteta ‘hopeful’ of Bukayo Saka making the World Cup
Bukayo Saka has been in blistering form after a slow start to the season, having scored 4 goals and provided an assist in his last 4 league games. His exploits have hugely contributed to the Gunners sitting atop of the Premier League table, and having a splendid chance of being there going into the World Cup break. And after another brilliant start against Forest, where he created 3 chances, attempted 2 shots and provided 1 assist within 27 minutes, Saka picked a knock as a result of his nasty duel with Lodi.
While it initially looked a normal one, the winger was unable to participate any further and in utter disappointment came-off even before the half-hour mark. The Gunners still continued from where they left-off and put in another 4 goals enroute to reclaiming their top spot from Manchester City. However, the game was marred by Saka’s injury as fans couldn’t keep calm. Arteta in his post-match presser spoke about the England international’s knock, who could be a doubt for the upcoming World Cup. The Arsenal gaffer said:
“Hopefully not [the World Cup in doubt]. It was a bad kick, right from the beginning he was limping, but I don’t see any further than that, let’s see how it is in the next couple of days. I think both [leg & ankle] he got kicked a few times and he wasn’t comfortable to continue.”
The Arsenal manager however chose to remain tight-lipped when he was asked whether the referees should have been more protective towards his player. Nonetheless, the big positive here is that the injury hasn’t ended Saka’s World Cup hopes as further tests will only tell his recovery timeline. And Nelson too rose to the occasion as did a brilliant job replacing Saka, by netting 2 goals and providing an assist.
The North Londoners play four more times before the World Cup, as their penultimate Europa League group game against Bodo/Glimt next, and an all important Chelsea clash at the Stamford Bridge next weekend. Arsenal then commence their League Cup action against Brighton in the third round on November 9, and an away game to Wolves on November 12 being the last before the FIFA tournament kicks-in.
Bukayo Saka has been a key part of Gareth Southgate’s England set-up and if all the youngster misses the World Cup next month, his shoes will be the bigger ones to fill in. Moreover, already a host of England players in Reece James, Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips have sustained long term injuries and are a serious doubt for the tournament. Both Southgate, as well as Arteta won’t want their star player to be out for long as he is equally important to his club and country system.