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Mikel Arteta hopes Bukayo Saka will be fit for World Cup after Arsenal injury
Mikel Arteta hopes Bukayo Saka won’t be out of the World Cup after sustaining an injury for Arsenal in their win over Nottingham Forest.
The 21-year-old was forced off after being tackled by Forest defender Renan Lodi in the Gunners’ 5-0 victory over Steve Cooper’s side.
Arteta confirmed the winger “wasn’t comfortable” after being kicked a few times during the game at the Emirates.
“Hopefully not,” Arteta said when asked if Saka was a World Cup doubt (BBC Sport, 30 October)
“It was a bad kick. Right from the beginning, he was limping, but I don’t see any further than that. Let’s see how he is in the next couple of days. He got kicked a few times and he wasn’t comfortable.”
Fingers crossed
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Everyone involved with the England set-up will have their fingers crossed hoping the winger will be fit for the World Cup. Saka has been in sensational form for a number of years and will be a key man for Gareth Southgate if he can prove his fitness.
Saka himself will be desperate to be part of England’s campaign to rectify his crucial penalty miss in the Euro 2020 final. It would be good to see officials protect players such as Saka slightly more after Arteta revealed he had been kicked a number of times during Arsenal’s win.
Considering the Gunners are flying at the moment, it would be nice if Arteta left Saka out of games against lesser teams, just to ensure he is fit for England at the World Cup.
With just a matter of weeks, until Southgate’s men travel to Qatar, the 21-year-old’s injury diagnosis will be eagerly watched by many around the country.
In other Arsenal news, it is the Gunners who are currently leading a hotly-contested race for this Scottish youngster in January.