Bukayo Saka, who has started Arsenal's last 87 Premier League games, could be a doubt for Sunday's Premier League match against Man City after limping off against Lens on Tuesday; watch Arsenal vs Man City live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm
Wednesday 4 October 2023 08:16, UK
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says forward Bukayo Saka's injury is "a worry" ahead of Sunday's Premier League match against Man City - live on Sky Sports.
Saka limped off holding his leg during Arsenal's Champions League Group B match at French side Lens on Tuesday night.
The 22-year-old was replaced by Fabio Vieira in the 34th minute, having set up the opening goal of the game for Gabriel Jesus to become the first player in Europe's top five leagues to register five goals and assists this season.
When asked about the injury by Norway's TV 2 Sport, Arteta replied: "It doesn't look good."
Arteta added: "He tried to backheel a ball in the first half. He felt something. It was muscular. He was uncomfortable and we had to take him off.
"We don't know anything more than that. It was big enough not to allow him to play the rest of the game and that is a worry for us."
Arteta was then asked if Saka would be available to face City, and he replied: "I haven't a clue. I don't know".
Saka has been an ever-present for Arsenal, starting in their last 87 Premier League games consecutively, a club record which dates back to May 2021.
He had suffered a foot injury which forced him off late in Saturday's 4-0 league win at Bournemouth but was deemed fit enough to start on Tuesday night.
He was really looking forward to playing like every player. It was a big Champions League night.
When asked if he had any regrets in picking Saka against Lens, Arteta said: "No. It was a knock that he had the other day and he was perfectly fine. It was a backheel, an action that can produce that kind of injury. Let's see what the extent of it is and afterwards it's too late.
"The last few were more knocks than anything else. He hasn't really missed games. We gave him a break against Brentford last week and that was all."
The England international's fitness will be a key focus ahead of Sunday's game between the two sides who fought it out for the Premier League title last season.
Treble-winners City brushed Arsenal aside in their last league meeting, beating the Gunners 4-1 at the Etihad in April before going on to claim their third consecutive league crown.
However, Pep Guardiola's side will be without Rodri after the midfielder was shown a straight red card against Nottingham Forest and will be serving the final game of his three-match suspension against Arsenal.
Sky Sports' Sam Blitz:
Almost everyone else can be replaced: Arsenal cannot afford to lose Bukayo Saka to injury.
Exactly why the England winger is so indispensable to Arsenal was seen in their defeat at Lens. As soon as Saka came off, the Gunners had a flat tyre.
Saka is the player with the most one-on-ones in the Premier League this season - he relentlessly explores those individual duels with the full-back, and averages 14 per Premier League game.
But on Tuesday night, his replacement, Fabio Vieira, attempted to get around his man only once.
It is the same on the other side: Gabriel Martinelli has similar numbers to Saka. Leandro Trossard is an adequate replacement for the Brazilian, but Sunday's visit of Manchester City demands more than adequate.
Mikel Arteta knows it too. "The two wingers that we are missing, they give us a lot of threat," he said after the defeat to Lens. "And it's different to other qualities we have in the squad."
It feels that Arsenal's hopes of beating Man City on Sunday could be determined by the team news…
October 8: Manchester City (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
October 21: Chelsea (A) - Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
October 24: Sevilla (A) - Champions League group stage, kick-off 8pm
October 28: Sheffield United (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
November 1: West Ham (A) - Carabao Cup fourth round, kick-off 7.30pm
November 4: Newcastle (A) - Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
