Will Bukayo Saka be fit to face Liverpool? | OneFootball

The Arsenal winger will undergo a scan, but even a minor strain is expected to keep him out of the Liverpool clash.

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Bukayo Saka is highly unlikely to feature for Arsenal at Anfield next weekend after limping out of Saturday’s 5-0 win over Leeds with a suspected hamstring injury.

The winger pulled up sharply following a sprint in the second half, immediately called for a substitution, and was replaced by Leandro Trossard. As he sat on the pitch, he was heard saying “oh my god”, a reaction that underlined the seriousness of the problem.

Mikel Arteta admitted after the game that the situation was concerning. “It’s not great news,” he said. “I think it’s the other one (hamstring). It’s not the same one as the previous injury. But yeah, I mean, we’ve been two weeks and we already lost Kai, Martin and Bukayo.”

Saka’s previous hamstring injury in his right leg kept him out for several months last season and required surgery, although this time he did not seem to be in quite as much pain.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Hamstring problems rarely resolve quickly, even at the lowest grade.

A grade one strain may heal inside one to two weeks, but the risk of a recurrence is high and clubs are reluctant to expose players to the intensity of matches so soon after a strain. Seven days seems too soon.

A grade two tear typically requires two to six weeks of recovery, while grade three injuries, involving more extensive muscle or tendon damage, can mean several months out and require surgery.

Even if today’s scan shows only a minor issue, Arsenal are can be expected to err on the side of caution. Medical advice is clear that rushing a player back within days of a hamstring problem increases the likelihood of a more serious setback, particularly in the immediate weeks following an initial strain.

That reality makes Saka’s participation at Anfield highly improbable, regardless of the grade.

The scan will establish the extent of the damage, but as matters stand, Arsenal will be preparing to face Liverpool without their most influential forward.