Mikel Arteta reveals Arsenal star Bukayo Saka will miss ‘greater than two months’

Bukayo Saka is prone to be out till at the least March after hamstring surgical procedure, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed.

Arsenal moved again as much as second within the Premier League desk with a 1-0 win over Ipswich on the Emirates – their first recreation with out Saka after the England winger tore his proper hamstring in a 5-0 win -1 in opposition to Crystal Palace final weekend.

Forward of Friday’s recreation, Arteta stated Saka, 23, could be out for “a number of weeks”, however talking moments after his facet secured a victory that retains the stress on leaders Liverpool, Arteta awarded a darker schedule to its star man.

“He had surgical procedure and the whole lot went nicely, however sadly he shall be out for a lot of, many weeks,” Arteta stated.

“Will probably be greater than two months. I do not know precisely how for much longer. This can rely upon how the scar tissue begins to heal, within the first week or so, and the way cellular it’s. It’s extremely tough to say.

“Bukayo’s substitute would be the crew. There have been moments the place issues went nicely tonight and moments the place we may see that there was nonetheless work to do. However I am certain we are going to. We should depend on the crew and never the person.

The size of Saka’s damage shall be a blow to Arteta, who’s attempting to supervise Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 20 years.

Let’s shut 2024 with a W!

Thanks for all of the assist this 12 months Gunners ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5o8qIS6Dzq

-Kai Havertz (@kaihavertz29) December 27, 2024

In Saka’s absence and within the Gunners’ last match of 2024, Kai Havertz scored the one aim of the match halfway by the opening interval.

Gabriel, Havertz and Martin Odegaard all missed possibilities to extend Arsenal’s lead within the second half, however their victory takes them to inside six factors of leaders Liverpool – having performed a recreation greater than the Reds – and one level forward of Chelsea after their boxing match. Defeat of the day in opposition to Fulham.

Arteta continued: “I am very pleased with the victory, the clear sheet and the massive components of the match. They’re robust opposition and we play so many video games.

“You see groups profitable by small margins. In the present day we may have elevated our margin, however we did not and we stored our composure within the final minutes to defend nicely.

Kai, what’s the place @Arsenal In? ✌️#ARCHIVES | #FestiveFixations pic.twitter.com/JAlw7fkzAI

–Premierleague (@premierleague) December 27, 2024

“We must always have scored extra. We had some massive openings within the second half, Gabriel’s massive header from a yard out, however the crew was constant and did not concede something and that is one thing that may all the time give us the possibility to win video games.

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Arsenal move up to second after Kai Havertz’s goal saw…

Arsenal are subsequent in motion in opposition to Brentford on New 12 months’s Day. Ipswich, who stay second from backside, three factors from security, host Chelsea on Monday night.

Ipswich suffered a heavy 4-0 dwelling defeat to Newcastle within the match earlier than their journey to the Emirates, which marked their fifth defeat in six video games.

“It was step again for us,” stated boss Kieran McKenna. “We did not attain our stage in opposition to Newcastle. We knew as we speak that we needed to be resilient and we did it.