Are injuries a worry for Saka?
Bukayo Saka's hamstring problem last season was the first major injury of his career. This season, he sustained a hamstring injury which kept him out for four weeks early on in the campaign, before a hip injury which meant he pulled out of the warm-up away at Leeds in January and missed three games for Arsenal. This season, although low on numbers for Saka, could be one of the most important of his career as he looks to play a vital part in Arsenal winning major trophies.
[Getty Images] Bukayo Saka's hamstring problem last season was the first major injury of his career. And, in a sign of his robustness, it came on his 250th appearance for Arsenal and made him the the youngest Englishman to reach that milestone for the Gunners. That injury kept him out for 101 days, but he scored on his return against Fulham before scoring away against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu as Arsenal reached the last four of the Champions League before going out to Paris St-Germain.
This season, he sustained a hamstring injury which kept him out for four weeks early on in the campaign, before a hip injury which meant he pulled out of the warm-up away at Leeds in January and missed three games for Arsenal. This season, although low on numbers for Saka, could be one of the most important of his career as he looks to play a vital part in Arsenal winning major trophies. [BBC] For the past six seasons, Saka has consistently been among the highest Arsenal players for minutes played.
This season he has played 2,869 minutes in all competitions, which is more than the 2,619 he played last season. With a World Cup coming up, England boss Thomas Tuchel is mindful of protecting his stars, saying "some of these guys have already played more minutes than the whole of last season and there is still a lot of football to play" when announcing his latest squad. Saka could play up to 15 more games this season for Arsenal if they reach the finals of the FA Cup and Champions League, which would take his tally to 57 games if he plays in all of them.
It may not be his best in terms of numbers but, if he is one of the leading figures to help Arsenal end their trophy drought, while playing a key part in England's challenge for the World Cup, this could still be one of the most important campaigns of his career. Read more