Bukayo Saka's Absence: Arsenal's Crucial Sky Sports Live Clash with Manchester City Takes an Unexpected Turn!

Bukayo Saka, who has started 87 consecutive Premier League matches for Arsenal, may miss his team's crucial showdown with league leaders Manchester City due to a leg injury sustained in the Gunners' 2-1 Champions League defeat at Lens. Saka's unfortunate injury occurred during Tuesday night's match in France, leaving Arsenal supporters deeply concerned.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta claimed injury "doesn't look good" and that it was "a worry" with City the visitors to the Emirates Stadium on Super Sunday.

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The upcoming match between the two teams who competed for the Premier League title last season will now closely monitor the fitness of the England international. Should the 22-year-old be unavailable, the focus will shift to identifying a suitable replacement against Pep Guardiola's side.

Saka's injury compounds Arteta's issues as winger Gabriel Martinelli is also sidelined with a hamstring injury, potentially leaving the Gunners without two influential wingers who played a crucial role in their impressive performance last season. In this article, we analyze Arteta's alternatives to replace Saka and occupy the wing positions against Man City.

Who could replace Saka?

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Vieira was responsible for substituting Saka in the matches against Lens and Bournemouth.

Despite a challenging debut season in England, the talented Portuguese player has had a promising start to the current season. However, it is important to note that he does not possess the conventional attributes of a winger.

A more technically inclined choice similar to Man City's Bernardo Silva, the 23-year-old excels when deployed on the left side of Arsenal's midfield triumvirate. As a left-footed player, he offers the same inverted option that Saka seamlessly provides for Arteta.

Fabio Vieira

The Brazilian striker showed in glimpses what a handful he can be when played in his preferred position through the middle.

However, Arteta is faced with a pressing situation as both Saka and Martinelli are uncertain for the upcoming match against City.

During the Tottenham game, Jesus took over Martinelli's position on the left side, while Nketiah served as the striker. It wouldn't be unexpected for Arteta to employ the same strategy, possibly shifting Trossard to the right side or deploying Havertz as the main striker.

Gabriel Jesus

With Arsenal's injury problems, the former Brighton star is a key figure for Arteta at the moment and will surely start against Man City.

But in which position will he be used?

Trossard has been consistently effective in various positions upfront, primarily on the left side, filling in for Martinelli's recent absences. Nevertheless, as Arsenal plans alterations to their attacking lineup, the 28-year-old, who has already netted three goals for his club across all competitions this season, may be shifted to the right wing.

Leandro Trossard

The 23-year-old will be another player putting his hand up for the chance to impress from the start.

Having made several appearances as a substitute, he finally earned a starting spot and managed to score the decisive goal, securing Arsenal's victory in the Carabao Cup against Brentford.

Similarly, Nelson has predominantly been given opportunities on the left wing. It is possible that he may be deployed in this position once more, thereby creating an additional alternative to replace Saka. However, he is also well-acquainted with the role on the right wing.

Reiss Nelson

Has the time come for Smith Rowe to seize his opportunity?

With his injury concerns now in the past and a stellar performance in England's U21 Euros triumph, Arsenal supporters have been eagerly anticipating his return to the starting lineup.

Emile Smith Rowe

Gunners Academy prospect Sagoe Jr was the surprise selection as he made his full Arsenal debut at Brentford in in the Carabao Cup last week.

The 19-year-old filled in for Saka in Arsenal's 1-0 victory at the Gtech Community Stadium and received praise from Arteta. Arteta stated that "Chaz has been one of the most consistent players in our U23s for the past few months. He has been training with us extensively, and it's important to provide opportunities to our young players. I'm delighted that he had a positive experience."

While a challenging Premier League match against Man City may be too demanding for the inexperienced winger, considering Arsenal's limited options in wide positions, it wouldn't be surprising to see him included among the substitutes.

Charles Sagoe Jr

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta speaking after Arsenal's 2-1 defeat at Lens:

"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 are unaware of any additional information. The extent of his injury prevented him from participating in the remainder of the game, which is concerning to us."

When questioned about Saka's availability against City, Arteta responded, "I have absolutely no idea. I am unaware."

What's Arteta said

We' Sam Blitz:

Almost everyone else can be replaced: Arsenal cannot afford to lose Bukayo Saka to injury.

The reason the England winger is so vital to Arsenal was evident in their loss at Lens. Once Saka was taken off, the Gunners struggled immensely.

Saka holds the record for the highest number of one-on-ones in the Premier League this season. He consistently seeks out these personal battles with full-backs and averages 14 per game.

But on Tuesday night, his replacement, Fabio Vieira, attempted to get around his man only once.

Gabriel Martinelli has comparable statistics to Saka, confirming their similarities. While Leandro Trossard could serve as a suitable substitute for the Brazilian, the upcoming clash against Manchester City necessitates a higher level of performance than just being adequate.

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Mikel Arteta, too, is aware of it. "The absence of the two wingers poses a significant threat to us," he remarked following the loss to Lens. "Their qualities are distinct from what the rest of the squad offers."

Arsenal's chances of overcoming Man City on Sunday seem to hinge on the team news...

Why Saka is so important to Arsenal

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Saka limped off holding his leg in Arsenal's defeat at Lens

In hindsight, it is easy to see the value of foresight.

Nevertheless, several individuals associated with Arsenal expressed the desire for Saka to be spared from the upcoming match in Lens. This was in response to the intense challenges he faced in the north London derby and the significant injury he sustained during the previous weekend's encounter with Bournemouth.

Despite facing numerous physical challenges, the prominent English footballer had to leave the field injured in both matches, casting doubts over his ability to participate against Lens. However, he managed to bounce back and actively partake in training on Monday before the game in France. While several individuals deemed playing Saka as an unjustifiable risk, Arteta held a divergent perspective.

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Saka had to leave the field during the match against Bournemouth due to a "heavy knock" according to Mikel Arteta. When questioned about his decision to include Saka in the Lens game, Arteta expressed no regrets, stating that Saka was fine before the match. The injury occurred during a backheel action, which can result in such injuries. The severity will be assessed, but by then it may be too late.

The previous ones were mostly just knocks. He hasn't actually skipped many games. We provided him with some rest against Brentford last week, and that was it.

He was genuinely excited to play, just like any other player. It was a significant Champions League evening.

Saka has been an indispensable player for Arteta, as evident from the frequency with which he starts in games. However, the time has come for Arteta to reconsider how Saka's minutes are distributed and manage them more cautiously than he has in recent weeks. Arsenal may now face the possibility of Saka being absent for an extended period of time, a scenario that could have been preempted with adequate rest and rotation.

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Could Saka's injury have been avoided?

October 8: Manchester City (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on We

October 21: Chelsea (A) - Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on We

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 We

Which games could Saka miss?

What would your chosen Arsenal starting XI be if Saka and Martinelli were not available? Utilize our interactive selection tool to pick your team and easily share it on X, previously known as Twitter, @SkyFootball.