Precious
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that the Gunners might be without two key players – Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe – for their marquee Premier League clash with Liverpool on Saturday.
Despite still being teenagers, Smith-Rowe and Bukayo Saka have both been integral members of Arsenal’s first team.
Providing an update on Bukayo Saka, the Arsenal manager said:
”He hasn’t trained with the team yet. He’s been doing some individual work. We had to pull him out of the England squad unfortunately. ‘e’s feeling better, but he hasn’t trained with the team yet.”
During the international break, Bukayo Saka pulled out of England’s squad after sustaining a hamstring injury and returned to Arsenal to continue his rehabilitation.
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Meanwhile, Emile Smith-Rowe also suffered a hip problem while on international duty with the England Under-21 team. Arteta said that further scans will be needed to determine if the player would be fit to face Liverpool.
The Arsenal manager said about Smith-Rowe:
”He had discomfort with his hip, and that’s why (England) decided to keep him out. We will see today how he is when we will speak with the doctors and the physios, and we will see if he is available for training tomorrow.”
The potential absence of both players is a huge blow for Arsenal ahead of their clash against the reigning Premier League champions.
