Arsenal continued their ruthless approach in the Premier League by smashing woeful Sheffield United with a scoreline of 6-0 at Bramall Lane on Monday. This victory marked their seventh successive league win and the fifth occasion this season where they have scored five or more goals in a league game.
Gunners are now positioned in 3rd place in the league standings, trailing just two points behind Liverpool and Manchester City in the race for the league title. Meanwhile, two of their key wingers, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, are dealing with injuries, presenting a fresh concern for Mikel Arteta.
When will Bukayo Saka return from injury?
Arsenal ace winger, Bukayo Saka was subbed off at the start of the second half during their recent domestic outing against Sheffield United. While Saka might not have found the back of the net, he played an aggressive role in the team’s attack, amassing two assists in the first half to help his side take a commanding 5-0 lead.
The English international’s influential attacking play on the right wing led to two goal involvements. In the 13th minute, he outpaced an opposition player and sent a low cross that deflected off Sheffield defender Jayden Bogle, who inadvertently put it into his net, giving Arsenal their second goal.
Just before the break, his accurate cross found Declan Rice, who slotted it into the fifth goal for Arsenal. However, the 22-year-old was replaced by Fabio Vieira right after the second half resumed, due to feeling unwell. Fortunately, Gunner’s top scorer had not sustained any injuries; instead, it was illness that cut short his outing.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta spoke about Bukayo Saka during the post-match conference and revealed the reason for taking off the English winger. “He wasn’t feeling right, so we decided to take him off and bring Fabio in,” he said. So far this season, Saka has made 31 goal contributions in 35 appearances across all competitions.
Arsenal injury report
Arsenal are competing for both the Premier League and Champions League titles, aiming to surpass last season’s heartbreak when they finished as runner-up. They have hit a streak of excellent form in 2024, during the crucial business end of the season, under the guidance of their Spanish boss and fueled by the team’s collective determination.
Arteta’s squad has been missing some of their key players, and now, the recent addition of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to the treatment room compounds their challenges.
Alongside, full-back duo Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu are out due to calf injuries, both having missed 11 fixtures altogether.
Additionally, their new €40 million recruit, Jurrien Timber, who has suffered a serious injury and has only made a single appearance, is sidelined for the rest of the season.