Sport nationOPINIONMohamed Salah and Erling Haaland debunk Bukayo Saka injury theory ahead of Arsenal vs Man City
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka picked up what appeared to be a hamstring injury during the Gunners’ 2-1 loss to RC Lens on Tuesday evening
Erling Haaland debunks Bukayo Saka injury theory ahead of Arsenal vs Man City. (Image: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
When Bukayo Saka was forced off due to injury during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to RC Lens on Tuesday night, it felt like something that had been coming for a while. The 22-year-old had picked up small knocks in his previous two outings, coming off during the final stages of recent clashes against Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth.
But his injury in France, which appeared to be hamstring-related, seemed a little more serious upon first inspection. Gunners supporters and pundits alike had been calling for Mikel Arteta to rest Saka for the trip to Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Even Invincibles legend Freddie Ljungberg admitted after the full-time whistle that he had wanted Arteta to give the Hale End academy graduate a breather. Speaking about the injury to CBS Sports, the former Sweden international said: “Looking at this makes all the Arsenal fans a little bit worried.
“He was touching the back of his hamstring. I have been a little bit like rest him a little bit. I felt he’s played a bit too much. He’s still young and you say they can run as much as they can when they’re young. Rest him.
“He’s the most important player give him a break sometimes. I’m a bit worried for Arsenal at the weekend and how they’re going to play without him.”
READ NEXT: Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Huge injury worry, Bukayo Saka update, David Raya dilemma
READ MORE: Every word Mikel Arteta said on Bukayo Saka’s injury, David Raya display and Lens defeat
Perhaps Arteta could have taken off Saka earlier in recent matches when his side were comfortably winning but surely the fact that the Gunners lost on Tuesday night shows that the 22-year-old, who is arguably their best player, was clearly needed for the trip to France? A quick look at minutes from other top players shows that the rest that so many fans have been calling out for, doesn’t really exist at the highest level.
Take a look at Mohammed Salah’s minutes since he joined Liverpool back in the summer of 2017. Across his six Premier League campaigns, he averaged 3027 minutes, which equates to nearly 34 90-minute outings – not exactly plenty of rest and recovery time on league matchdays.
It is fair to point out the obvious age discrepancy between 22-year-old Saka and 31-year-old Salah but an investigation into the minutes played by the England international’s agemates tells a similar story. Manchester City frontman Erling Haaland played 2779 minutes of league action last term and the games he missed were due to a bruised foot and a groin injury, not Pep Guardiola resting him.
In short, Arteta could maybe manage Saka’s minutes a little better. Perhaps he should have come off 20 minutes earlier against Bournemouth on Saturday. But calls for the young winger to be benched for crucial Champions League matches will only fall on deaf ears.
The reality is that Arsenal are in ‘win-now’ mode and to compete for the top honours, they need to utilise their most consistent players on a regular basis.
OPINIONMohamed Salah and Erling Haaland debunk Bukayo Saka injury theory ahead of Arsenal vs Man City
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka picked up what appeared to be a hamstring injury during the Gunners’ 2-1 loss to RC Lens on Tuesday evening
Erling Haaland debunks Bukayo Saka injury theory ahead of Arsenal vs Man City. (Image: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
When Bukayo Saka was forced off due to injury during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to RC Lens on Tuesday night, it felt like something that had been coming for a while. The 22-year-old had picked up small knocks in his previous two outings, coming off during the final stages of recent clashes against Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth.
But his injury in France, which appeared to be hamstring-related, seemed a little more serious upon first inspection. Gunners supporters and pundits alike had been calling for Mikel Arteta to rest Saka for the trip to Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Even Invincibles legend Freddie Ljungberg admitted after the full-time whistle that he had wanted Arteta to give the Hale End academy graduate a breather. Speaking about the injury to CBS Sports, the former Sweden international said: “Looking at this makes all the Arsenal fans a little bit worried.
“He was touching the back of his hamstring. I have been a little bit like rest him a little bit. I felt he’s played a bit too much. He’s still young and you say they can run as much as they can when they’re young. Rest him.
“He’s the most important player give him a break sometimes. I’m a bit worried for Arsenal at the weekend and how they’re going to play without him.”
READ NEXT: Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Huge injury worry, Bukayo Saka update, David Raya dilemma
READ MORE: Every word Mikel Arteta said on Bukayo Saka’s injury, David Raya display and Lens defeat
Perhaps Arteta could have taken off Saka earlier in recent matches when his side were comfortably winning but surely the fact that the Gunners lost on Tuesday night shows that the 22-year-old, who is arguably their best player, was clearly needed for the trip to France? A quick look at minutes from other top players shows that the rest that so many fans have been calling out for, doesn’t really exist at the highest level.
Take a look at Mohammed Salah’s minutes since he joined Liverpool back in the summer of 2017. Across his six Premier League campaigns, he averaged 3027 minutes, which equates to nearly 34 90-minute outings – not exactly plenty of rest and recovery time on league matchdays.
It is fair to point out the obvious age discrepancy between 22-year-old Saka and 31-year-old Salah but an investigation into the minutes played by the England international’s agemates tells a similar story. Manchester City frontman Erling Haaland played 2779 minutes of league action last term and the games he missed were due to a bruised foot and a groin injury, not Pep Guardiola resting him.
In short, Arteta could maybe manage Saka’s minutes a little better. Perhaps he should have come off 20 minutes earlier against Bournemouth on Saturday. But calls for the young winger to be benched for crucial Champions League matches will only fall on deaf ears.
The reality is that Arsenal are in ‘win-now’ mode and to compete for the top honours, they need to utilise their most consistent players on a regular basis.
Austute Man
Sport nation
