Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has added a second big name to the Gunners’ list of those injured Saturday versus Leeds United.
Saka, 23, had already scored in helping Arsenal to a 3-0 lead in the game, and his body language was that of disappointment as trainers treated a left hamstring injury early in the second half.
MORE — Arsenal vs Leeds recap, video highlights
He limped off the pitch, handing off the captain’s arm band he received when Martin Odegaard left the game through injury in the first half.
All this comes days after Kai Havertz suffered an injury that seemed to fast-forward Arsenal’s pursuit of Eberechi Eze, who the club unveiled before the game.
Bukayo Saka injury — Arsenal, England star suffers apparent leg injury
Saka’s been pretty durable for the Gunners, playing every game in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Premier League seasons before featuring in 35 the following year.
But he missed 2.5 months last year with a hamstring injury and the Gunners will be hoping this is nothing that serious.
Here’s what Arteta said about the injuries to both players.
“Martin looked like a shoulder,” Arteta said. “He’ll have a scan tomorrow so we’ll see. Bukayo had to come off when he was sprinting with a defender, He felt a hamstring, a different one [than last season]. We had already lost Kai [Havertz], who is a massive player. And now Bukayo and Martin, that’s why the squad has to be big.”
Arsenal have, however, built up their depth this season with purchases of Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres to join a solid crew of Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Young phenom Max Dowman is also creating massive buzz in red and white.
Injuries to Havertz, Odegaard, and Saka will have already challenged that depth, and Arteta will be hoping his treatment team can work magic to get the numbers back up prior to the UEFA Champions League’s introduction to the fixture list next month.
