Mikel Arteta and Bukayo Saka
Saka limped off injured in the first half of their 2-1 Champions League defeat by RC Lens.
He was replaced by Fabio Vieira in the 34th minute of Tuesday’s game and Arteta said the muscular issue was “big enough not to allow him to continue to play the game and that’s obviously a worry for us”.
The 22-year-old also limped off the pitch in Arsenal’s 4-0 league win at Bournemouth – which was his 87th consecutive Premier League appearance.
Before that, he was rested for a League Cup tie against Brentford last week after picking up a knock in a 2-2 home draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
Asked if he regretted starting Saka amid his injury issues, Arteta said:
“No, it was a knock that he picked up the other day, and he was perfectly fine .
“(Saka’s previous injuries) were more knocks than any other thing. The last few that he had, he hasn’t really missed games. We gave him a break against Brentford in the League Cup, and that was all.”
Arteta has been criticised for not resting Saka often enough but the Spanish manager said all the players had been keen to play against Lens.
“It was a big Champions League night,” he added.
“I painted a picture, the scenario, the type of game we are going to have to face today and they all knew about it. But the Champions League is so difficult to win … and today we take a big lesson as well.”
Arteta also opened up on the shock 2-1 defeat to Lens.
“It’s true we didn’t generate enough threat in the final third,” Arteta told TNT Sport.
“Like in many occasions, we didn’t provoke enough spaces. And just like in the PSV game, it was about the boxes. And we didn’t defend the box well enough to win the game.
“You don’t generate ten clear cut chances in the Champions League. When you get there, you have to put the ball in the back of the net. We have to defend the box much better than we have done.”
“It certainly was [a tough game]. Congratulations to Lens. As we all saw, they are a really good side, it was an expectational atmosphere and a very difficult opponent.
“We did the most difficult thing, scoring the first goal, had total control of the game and then in one action they managed to score and it was game on again.
Arteta will be hoping his side can pick themselves up ahead of the Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday. (Reuters)
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