Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provides Bukayo Saka injury update after Crystal Palace win
The England winger was forced off midway through the first half at Selhurst Park.
Mikel Arteta has confirmed Bukayo Saka picked up a hamstring injury in Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Crystal Palace and the club are ‘worried’ about the forward.
The Gunners blew their London rivals away with a five-star victory at Selhurst Park, which saw Arteta’s men leapfrog Nottingham Forest into third place in the Premier League table.
An inspired Gabriel Jesus picked up where he left off after his Carabao Cup hat-trick heroics against Palace in midweek, with the Brazilian hitting the target either side of Ismaila Sarr’s 11th-minute stunner.
Kai Havertz made it three with a fine strike before half-time and goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice put the game out of sight in the second period.
But Saka’s injury in the 24th minute took some of the shine off Arsenal’s fine showing and the England attacker was seen leaving the stadium on crutches after the match.
Saka has racked up five goals and ten assists across a magnificent start to the campaign and his absence would come as a major blow to the Gunners over a busy Christmas period.
‘He felt something in his hamstring,’ Arteta told reporters at his post-match press conference.
‘He could not continue, he had to be assessed. We are pretty worried.’
Speaking to TNT Sports shortly after the final whistle, Arteta said he was unsure about the severity of Saka’s problem.
Quizzed on the seriousness of Saka’s injury, the Spaniard replied: ‘I don'[t know but he had to come off.
‘It’s not good news, obviously. We will have to assess him and wait and see.’
Arteta was otherwise delighted with Arsenal’s display against Palace, which came just days after his sides’ meeting in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
‘It is always really tough to come here against this team’ the Arsenal head coach said.
‘Playing them twice in three days makes it trickier but we started really well and then had a period of doubt.
‘We got control and got dominance and were clinical. I am very happy to score five away from home in the Premier League. I don’t know how many times we have done that in the calendar year but quite a lot. It is remarkable.’
Arteta reserved special praise for Jesus, who had managed just once in all competitions before striking five times against Palace this week.
‘He has certainly clicked and he needed that to unlock that mentally his confidence and the belief externally,’ he added.
‘To score five goals in two games is not easy in football.
He has done it in a great way so let’s continue.’
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