Arsenal didn't only lose 2-1 to Lens on Tuesday - they lost a star player to injury, too
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is concerned he will be missing some of his key players for their crucial Premier League clash with Manchester City on Sunday.
With Jurrien Timber already missing for the next few months and Gabriel Martinelli and Thomas Partey struggling for fitness, too, the last thing Arsenal needed was for another key player to pick up an injury against Lens on Tuesday night in the Champions League.
That's exactly what happened, however. During the Gunners' 2-1 loss with the French side, Bukayo Saka limped off in the 34th minute of the match after feeling some muscular pain.
Speaking afterwards, Arteta highlighted the extent of Saka's injury.
Saka had to be substituted in the 34th minute (Image credit: Getty Images)
"It doesn't look good," the Arsenal boss said. "He tried to backheel a ball in the first half and felt something muscular. He felt uncomfortable to carry on so we had to take him off.
"We don't know anything more. It was big enough not to allow him to continue to play the game and that's a worry for us."
Saka's setback comes after he walked off the pitch slowly at the weekend during Arsenal's 4-0 win over Bournemouth. Arteta doesn't regret playing the English winger on Tuesday, though, despite Manchester City coming up in the league on Sunday.
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Arteta highlighted how the Champions League is an extremely important competition where every game counts, with Saka desperate to play against Lens, too.
Arsenal lost 2-1 away to Lens (Image credit: Getty Images)
"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 (in the Carabao Cup) last week and that was all.
"He was really looking forward to playing like every player. It was a big Champions League night. I painted a picture and the type of scenario we were going to face today and they all knew about it. But this Champions League is so difficult to win away from home. Today we take a big lesson."
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Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
