Arsenal fans fear international break curse has struck again amid Bukayo Saka injury blow

Arsenal fans have once again been left ruing the curse of the international break after watching Bukayo Saka hobble off injured for England last night.

The in-form winger has been in inspirational form so far this season for his club, but he now faces a race against time to be fit for the Gunners next game against Bournemouth a week on Saturday.

Saka will undergo scans today on what appears to be a hamstring strain. The 23-year-old was seen clutching his right leg shortly before he was substituted in the 51st minute.

Speaking after the game, interim England manager Lee Carsley said: ‘He’s being assessed.

‘In the build-up to the first goal, you could see he felt something in his leg.’

Arsenal fans now face an anxious wait to find out whether or not their star player will face an extended period on the sidelines.

Indeed, it is a case of de ja vu for concerned supporters who went through a similar scenario in September after skipper Martin Odegaard sustained ankle ligament damage while on duty playing for Norway.

‘Saka down as well following an international break,’ said one disgruntled Gooner. ‘Totally kills the actual football.’

Another Arsenal fan said: ‘Oh man how I hate international football. And the potential injury to Saka is just amplifying that this morning.’

And a third commented: ‘Saka injured, well if there was ever a reason to hate the international break besides the shit football it’s this.’

Odegaard, meanwhile, is making steady progress in his recovery and it is hoped that he might be back within the next month.

Speaking ahead of last weekend’s win over Southampton, he said: ‘In the last week or so I’ve made really good progress. I’m getting better & better by the day and feel it’s going well.

‘When you feel like things are moving forward, it gives you motivation to do more and more and work harder.

‘Today is our last game before another international break, so that gives me some more time to work on the rehab, too. Hopefully it won’t be much longer — I think we will know more as soon as I get out on the training pitches and we see how my ankle responds to that.

‘At the moment it’s progressing well and it looks better than we were thinking, but we’ve still got to take every day as it comes.

‘Anyway, it looks as though the team don’t really need me at the moment! We have been playing so well lately & got another good result on Tuesday against PSG.’