Bukayo Saka injury news: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta confirms hamstring surgery as forward expected to miss at least two months

Bukayo Saka will probably be sidelined till a minimum of 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 in opposition to Crystal Palace final weekend.

Previous to Friday’s fixture, Arteta stated Saka, 23, can be sidelined for “many weeks”, however talking within the moments after his aspect noticed out a win that retains the stress on leaders Liverpool, Arteta afforded a grizzlier timeframe for his star man.

“He has had a process and the whole lot went effectively, however sadly he will probably be out for a lot of, many weeks,” stated Arteta.

“Will probably be greater than two months. I do not know precisely how for much longer. It is going to rely upon how the scar tissue begins to heal, the primary week or so, and the mobility of that. It is rather troublesome to say.

“The alternative of Bukayo goes to be the workforce. There have been moments the place it flowed effectively tonight and moments the place you would see there’s nonetheless work to do. However I’m sure that we’re going to do this. We’ve got to depend on the workforce and never the person.”

The size of Saka’s harm will come as a major blow to Arteta, who’s bidding to supervise Arsenal’s first Premier League title in twenty years.

In Saka’s absence, and within the Gunners’ closing fixture of 2024, Kai Havertz scored the sport’s sole purpose 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 a degree away from Chelsea following their Boxing Day defeat to Fulham.

Arteta continued: “I’m very pleased with the victory and the clear sheet and massive components of the sport. They’re troublesome opposition and we’re taking part in so many video games.

“You see that groups are successful from small margins. Immediately we might have made that margin larger however we did not and we held our nerve in the previous few minutes to defend effectively.

“We should always have scored extra. We had huge openings within the second half, the large header of Gabriel from one yard, however the workforce was constant and conceded nothing and that’s one thing that can all the time give us the possibility to win video games.”

Arsenal will subsequent be in motion in opposition to Brentford on New Yr’s Day. Ipswich, who stay second from backside, three factors away from security, host Chelsea on Monday evening.

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 great step again in the best path for us,” stated boss Kieran McKenna. “We did not hit our ranges in opposition to Newcastle. We knew immediately we needed to be resilient and we did that.”

Evaluation: Arteta has work to do to search out method with out Saka

Sky Sports activities’ Nick Wright on the Emirates Stadium:

Arteta promised Arsenal can be “totally different” with out Saka. He is aware of he has no direct alternative for the 23-year-old. On this proof, although, it would take a little bit of time to discover a working method in his absence as he begins a prolonged interval on the sidelines.

Martinelli was chosen to imagine the function of Arsenal’s right-sided winger having impressed after transferring 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 purpose 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 a better proportion of assaults down their proper.

Martinelli was not the one one they regarded to. Martin Odegaard provided assist 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 triggered issues for Ipswich at instances, however Arsenal typically struggled to carve out openings, save for a spell within the second half once they peppered the guests’ purpose.

Havertz prepared to face up – however others should comply with his lead

Sky Sports activities’ Ben Grounds on the Emirates Stadium:

“It is true that you could’t rating 5 each week, and there was a level of satisfaction within the voices of dwelling supporters as they chanted ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ on the closing 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’s a sport that will not dwell lengthy within the reminiscence however it’s one Arsenal finally received because of Kai Havertz’s elusive working 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 twenty fourth purpose involvement of the calendar 12 months – simply 4 shy of Saka. For so long as the Starboy is out injured, Havertz should proceed that move of discovering the web.”