Arsenal suffered another injury scare following their 2-1 victory over Tottenham in the North London derby. Manager Mikel Arteta revealed that Bukayo Saka requested to be substituted late in the game.
The Gunners secured the win thanks to a decisive second-half header from Gabriel Magalhaes. However, the match was marred by concerns over Saka’s fitness, as Arteta’s squad was already struggling with multiple injuries.
With key players such as Declan Rice suspended, Martin Odegaard side-lined with an ankle injury sustained on international duty, and Mikel Merino injured in his first training session with the club, Arsenal showed commendable resilience. Saka, who assisted Gabriel’s winning goal with a precise cross, was forced to leave the field in the 86th minute after going down in apparent pain.
Arteta explained to Sky Sports that Saka felt he could not continue and was thus substituted, adding, “Suddenly, he went down and said he couldn’t continue, and we had to take him off.” The manager was uncertain about the extent of Saka’s injury, saying, “I don’t know exactly what it is, but he could not continue.”
Arsenal’s injury woes extend to their club captain, Martin Odegaard, with reports suggesting he might be out for up to three weeks. Rice will return for Arsenal’s next match, but Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko also missed the Tottenham game, joining the list of absentees, including Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney.
Arsenal’s victory at Tottenham marked their third win in four games this season, with their only setback being a 1-1 draw with Brighton. As they prepare for a crucial clash against Manchester City next Sunday, City remain unbeaten and sit just two points ahead of Arsenal, intensifying the anticipation for their upcoming encounter.
