Arsenal have a difficult schedule of upcoming games while their list of injured players continues to grow. Manager Mikel Arteta will now have to be patient as he waits for updates on Bukayo Saka prior to the Premier League game at home against Everton on Saturday.
Bukayo Saka injury: what happened against Bayern Munich
Saka went down clutching his left leg in the 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. He had just gotten past Alphonso Davies and made an outside pass. Nobody was near him. He signalled to the bench and lasted only ten minutes.
Arteta announced that Saka has sustained a quadriceps injury and claimed that the club is concerned, as the player exited the field in severe agony. “We will have to wait and see,” explained the coach. Arsenal are optimistic that their winger will make a comeback in their upcoming fixture against Everton, which is set for Saturday at 3 p.m.
Arsenal injury list: Hincapie, Tzolis and Saliba return dates
There is better news on Piero Hincapie. The Ecuador defender hurt his ankle in the warm-down after the win over Leeds. He was carried off. Since then he has missed the Champions League games against Lille and Bayern. He also sat out the league win over Nottingham Forest.
Now he is edging back. Hincapie trained on his own before the Bayern game. Arteta said he could be ready for Everton if he trains well this week. Fantasy league data puts his chance of playing at 75 percent.
Christos Tzolis is harder to read. The right-winger has suffered from a hamstring injury while playing for the Greek national team. Initially, reports had suggested he would be out for three weeks. However, Arteta has only said he is out for a few weeks. This means he could make it back for the game against Everton. However, some reports state he may be back on November 1. Treat him as a doubt.
Martin Zubimendi is fine. The midfielder suffered a freak injury after the Leeds game. He has recovered and was on the bench for the last two matches.
The continuing worry among the coaching staff is William Saliba. The Frenchman has not featured in a single match this season. His back problems have gone from bad to worse while on duty during the World Cup. He has avoided surgery and is currently training on the pitch. However, he has to undergo another MRI scan next week. Arteta said every sign so far has been very positive. December is the target.
Arsenal fixtures: a heavy load for Arteta’s squad
The timing couldn’t have been worse, with Everton, Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup, Liverpool at Anfield, Slavia Praha and Hull coming within a fortnight. The quality of Arsenal’s squad will certainly be put to the test.
Arteta will make a decision about Saka after further examinations. Quad injuries are tricky to assess, and rushing back could cause complications. A decision is likely to be made in the last minute on Saturday. Until then, Arsenal fans will be waiting nervously.
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