Bukayo Saka, an Arsenal winger, may not have suffered as serious an injury as reported, according to Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill.
Bukayo Saka left the game against Lens hurt, but Arsenal supporters now have hope that he will play against Manchester City.
That’s the word from Gary Cotterill, a correspondent for Sky Sports who was present at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Tuesday night.
Saka set up Gabriel Jesus for a first-half goal that went past Brice Samba, giving Arsenal the lead.
Adrien Thomasson gave Lens a response, tying the score, and Elye Wahi’s winner gave Lens a 2-1 lead.
A bukayo Saka injury was mitigated amid concerns for Arsenal.
Of course, the loss is devastating, but Saka’s injury is likely the bigger concern for the majority of Arsenal supporters.
Arsenal was worried for the worse when the wide player went down in the first half and was brought out right away.
When Mikel Arteta informed Norwegian reporter Arilas Ould-Saada that Saka’s injury “does not look good,” he inadvertently increased those anxieties.
This weekend’s match between Arsenal and Manchester City raises concerns that Saka might be left out.
But according to Sky Sports correspondent Gary Cotterill, there was a sentiment last night in France that Saka’s injury might not be as serious as it seems.
Although this was by no means an official statement, Cotterill pointed out that there was a perception that Saka had perhaps been removed as a precaution.
Cotterill didn’t want to give Arsenal supporters false optimism, but he didn’t think that Arteta’s injury was serious enough to warrant taking any chances before playing City.
Cotterill remarked, “I don’t want to give fans of Arsenal and England false hope.” However, the unofficial consensus here is that Saka might not be all that horrible. A strained muscle or perhaps a preventative measure.
“With Manchester City right around the corner, the club has made it clear that Mikel Arteta will take no chances with any player tonight,” he continued.
Could Arteta be manipulating you?
Arsenal’s match against City this weekend is crucial; a victory here will give their hopes of winning the Premier League even more impetus.
Every little bit might make a difference in this match, and it’s possible that Arteta is attempting to influence his old coach, Pep Guardiola.
Bringing up Saka’s injury could lead City to assume that he won’t be participating, which would allow Arsenal to surprise everyone by selecting him for the starting lineup.
We have seen this strategy employed by other managers throughout the years, but it is doubtful that Guardiola would succumb to it.
You don’t get as successful as Guardiola is without meticulous planning, and the City manager will undoubtedly organise his lineup to take on an Arsenal team that includes Saka and doesn’t.
The match on Sunday will be an exciting event, but if Saka is healthy, we would much rather see him on the pitch than on the sidelines.
