Bukayo Saka will likely be sidelined till no less than March following surgical procedure on his hamstring, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed.
Arsenal moved again as much as second within the Premier League desk with a 1-0 victory over Ipswich on the Emirates – their first fixture with out Saka after the England winger tore his proper hamstring in a 5-1 win towards Crystal Palace final weekend.
Previous to Friday’s fixture, Arteta mentioned Saka, 23, could be sidelined for “many weeks”, however talking within the moments after his aspect noticed out a win that retains the strain on leaders Liverpool, Arteta afforded a grizzlier timeframe for his star man.
“He has had a procedure and everything went well, but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks,” mentioned Arteta.
“Will probably be greater than two months. I do not know precisely how for much longer. It is going to rely on how the scar tissue begins to heal, the primary week or so, and the mobility of that. It is vitally tough to say.
“The replacement of Bukayo is going to be the team. There were moments where it flowed well tonight and moments where you could see there is still work to do. But I am certain that we are going to do that. We have to rely on the team and not the individual.”
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Highlights from the Premier League match between Arsenal and Ipswich
The size of Saka’s damage will come as a major blow to Arteta, who’s bidding to supervise Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 20 years.
In Saka’s absence, and within the Gunners’ remaining fixture of 2024, Kai Havertz scored the sport’s sole objective halfway by means of the opening interval.
Gabriel, Havertz and Martin Odegaard all spurned possibilities to extend Arsenal’s lead within the second interval, however their victory takes them again to inside six factors of leaders Liverpool – having performed one match greater than the Reds – and some extent away from Chelsea following their Boxing Day defeat to Fulham.
Gabriel reacts after sending a close-range header broad of the Ipswich objective
Arteta continued: “I am very happy with the victory and the clean sheet and big parts of the game. They are difficult opposition and we are playing so many games.
“You see that groups are successful from small margins. Right this moment we might have made that margin larger however we did not and we held our nerve in the previous couple of minutes to defend effectively.
“We should have scored more. We had big openings in the second half, the big header of Gabriel from one yard, but the team was consistent and conceded nothing and that is something that will always give us the chance to win games.”
Arsenal will subsequent be in motion towards Brentford on New 12 months’s Day. Ipswich, who stay second from backside, three factors away from security, host Chelsea on Monday night time.
Ipswich suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat at dwelling to Newcastle within the fixture which preceded their journey to the Emirates, and this marked their fifth loss from six video games.
“It was a good step back in the right direction for us,” mentioned boss Kieran McKenna. “We didn’t hit our levels against Newcastle. We knew today we had to be resilient and we did that.”
Evaluation: Arteta has work to do to seek out method with out Saka
Sky Sports activities’ Nick Wright on the Emirates Stadium:
Arteta promised Arsenal could be “different” with out Saka. He is aware of he has no direct alternative for the 23-year-old. On this proof, although, it’d take a little bit of time to discover a working method in his absence as he begins a prolonged interval on the sidelines.
Martin Odegaard strikes a shot on course towards Ipswich
Martinelli was chosen to imagine the function of Arsenal’s right-sided winger having impressed after shifting throughout following Saka’s withdrawal within the win at Crystal Palace however he struggled, not registering a single shot, creating any possibilities and even finishing any dribbles.
The objective originated from the other aspect of the pitch, with Trossard bursting away from Ben Johnson and sending a teasing cross into the six-yard field, the place Havertz pounced. However Arsenal continued to direct the next proportion of assaults down their proper.
Arsenal despatched 49 per cent of their assaults down the correct flank
Martinelli was not the one one they seemed to. Martin Odegaard provided help and Arteta’s entrance line was extra fluid than ordinary, with Gabriel Jesus and Havertz additionally popping up on that flank, in addition to interchanging positions with one another earlier than Jesus was substituted.
Their motion prompted issues for Ipswich at occasions, however Arsenal typically struggled to carve out openings, save for a spell within the second half once they peppered the guests’ objective.
Havertz prepared to face up – however others should observe his lead
Sky Sports activities’ Ben Grounds on the Emirates Stadium:
“It’s true that you can’t score five every week, and there was a degree of satisfaction in the voices of home supporters as they chanted ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ at the final whistle.
“This was a scratchy efficiency that, within the midst of the congested run of fixtures, Mikel Arteta will not thoughts. Tick this off, and transfer on to the following one.
“It is a game that won’t live long in the memory but it is one Arsenal ultimately won thanks to Kai Havertz’s elusive running off the ball.
“The German was rewarded merely for not standing nonetheless. Later, his exuberance would result in a reserving, however within the absence of Saka, it was very important that he continued his spectacular output over the course of 2024.
“His decisive strike was his 24th goal involvement of the calendar year – just four shy of Saka. For as long as the Starboy is out injured, Havertz must continue that flow of finding the net.”
