Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Bukayo Saka is dealing with an injury after leaving the England star on the bench for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Saka did appear as a second-half substitute but could not conjure up a goal as the Gunners missed the chance to go nine points clear at the top of the table.
Arteta started with Saka on the bench for their 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest but turned to the forward just after the hour mark. The Arsenal manager also threw on Gabriel Jesus, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard and Mikel Merino in the second half of the match but his team could not find a way past Matz Sels in the Nottingham Forest goal.
The draw means Arsenal failed to fully capitalise on Manchester City’s defeat to United earlier in the day and could even see their lead at the top of the table cut to four points if Aston Villa beat Everton at Villa Park on Sunday.
Arteta admitted his team had created enough chances to win, telling reporters: “We came here to win the game, that’s clear, and we needed the opportunities that we had. We haven’t managed that, so the word is disappointment. We haven’t conceded anything, any single shot again and generated four massive chances with Martinelli with an open goal, with Declan Rice, Merino and then Bukayo Saka’s header with an unbelievable save, and on top of that, a very clear penalty as well that has not been given.
“So after that, it’s pretty difficult for us because it’s a team that is very well organised and very difficult to generate a lot of momentum throughout the game, so it’s disappointing. You need [to take chances], particularly to open them up, particularly the way in which that they performed. We tried in some ways, we made adjustments, we tried to have extra folks within the final line, to have very artistic gamers in and across the field. If you get into these moments, it’s a must to make it occur if you wish to win and we didn’t handle to get it carried out.”
Arteta confirms Saka damage scare
Arteta additionally spoke about Saka and his resolution to begin him on the bench after the draw. He mentioned: “Bukayo had a number of minutes and he had a niggle earlier than the sport so we have to handle our gamers. We’ve got some improbable gamers that may present various things, and we did attempt it from the start. We tried after half-time as nicely, taking extra dangers and bringing in much more gamers in these attacking choices. We tried in each means and it wasn’t sufficient sadly.”
Saka denied by Sels
Saka had one of many clearest probabilities of the sport on the Metropolis Floor. He seemed to have opened the scoring with a header that was brilliantly saved by Sels. Former Arsenal star Ray Parlour felt it was a vital second within the recreation. He informed Premier League Productions: “It’s an actual fingertip save, a very massive save. If that goes in, instantly it might be a 2-0, 3-0 recreation. It offers everybody a elevate. You want your goalkeeper to make saves like that for those who’re going to remain within the league.”
What comes subsequent?
Arsenal have struggling with accidents to key gamers this season with the likes of Cristhian Mosquera, Max Dowman, Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie nonetheless at the moment sidelined. Arteta can even must handle the workload of his gamers because the Gunners proceed via a busy run of fixtures. The Gunners nonetheless have Champions League video games towards Inter and Kairat to play in January in addition to Premier League fixtures towards Manchester United and Leeds. Arteta’s aspect then kick-off February with the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final towards Chelsea, with the Gunners main 3-2 from the primary leg at Stamford Bridge.
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