Bukayo Saka to miss several weeks for Arsenal following hamstring injury vs Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Bukayo Saka is expected to be out for several weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury during Arsenal’s 5-1 Premier League victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday, according to the Times.

The 23-year-old forward appeared visibly uncomfortable and required crutches as he left Selhurst Park, having signalled for a substitution in the 24th minute.

The injury comes at a challenging time for Arsenal, who face a gruelling schedule of ten matches across all competitions before the end of January.

Saka will miss the league clash against Ipswich Town on Friday, along with high-profile fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in the Premier League.

He will also be unavailable for two Champions League group-stage games, a League Cup semi-final first leg against Newcastle United, and an FA Cup third-round tie against Manchester United.

If Saka’s injury aligns with the typical recovery period of four to six weeks for moderate hamstring strains, he may be sidelined until early February.

While the England international has a reputation for quick recoveries, this is his third hamstring issue this season, raising concerns about his long-term fitness.

Saka also dealt with a thigh problem last season that forced him to miss three Premier League games.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta deserves criticism for constantly mismanaging Saka’s workload over the past few seasons.

Arteta needed to sign a worthy back-up player to take some of the weight off Saka’s shoulders last summer.

However, the Spaniard brought Raheem Sterling on loan from Chelsea, and he is a shadow of the attacker who wreaked havoc in the Premier League a few years ago.

Sterling did not even make the bench for the league game versus the Eagles after an egregious performance against the same opponents in the League Cup.

Arteta has continued to ignore the warning signs with Saka. The Basque coach could derail Saka’s glittering career with his mismanagement.

Arsenal need to sign a reliable back-up player the manager can count on to allow him to rest his talisman.