Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is anxiously awaiting injury updates on key players Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard as the team braces for a crucial showdown against Burnley.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed in a Friday news conference that winger Bukayo Saka is uncertain for the upcoming Premier League clash against Burnley.
Saka, who exited late in the 2-0 Champions League victory over Sevilla, was included in the England squad on Thursday.
Arteta expressed concern, aiming to avoid a recurrence of Saka missing Arsenal’s game before the previous international break, emphasizing the importance of managing the player’s fitness.
“Hopefully not. We want our players to play for their club and play for their national teams,” Arteta told reporters.
“B [Saka] had to leave the pitch because he was in quite a lot of pain. He didn’t train yesterday and let’s see if he can make it tomorrow.”
Arsenal contends with a series of setbacks as defender Takehiro Tomiyasu was substituted during the Sevilla encounter, while club captain Martin Ødegaard has been absent from the last two matches due to injury.
The team faces challenges on the injury front, raising concerns about squad availability for upcoming fixtures.
“A few are still in contention,” Arteta said. “We need to give them 24 more hours to give them a chance to be involved in the game, but we won’t know anything until tomorrow.
“He’s [Ødegaard] still racing [against the clock]. He’s trying everything that he can so let’s see. It’s a possibility.”
Arsenal encountered their inaugural league loss of the season against Newcastle United last weekend. Manager Arteta voiced dissatisfaction with the winning goal, contested after a threefold VAR review.
While Arteta refrained from revisiting the controversy, he responded to inquiries regarding reports suggesting a decade may be needed to address VAR imperfections.
“I will probably be bald in 10 years, life will be very different, maybe we will have other new rules in football, so I don’t know,” he said.
“Let’s try to do everything that we can, individually and collectively to improve the game in every aspect and that’s it.”
Arsenal have the perfect chance to get back on track when they host Burnley on Saturday, a side with only one league win this season.
“Looking back on the games they have played and the results they’ve got, in some of them they merited much more than what they got,” Arteta said.
“But that is the difficulty of this league. Sometimes when you deserve more you don’t get it because the quality of the oppositions is so high.”
Arsenal are fourth in the table, three points behind leaders Manchester City. Burnley are second bottom with four points from 11 games.
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