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The Gunners will make do without their talented winger Bukayo Saka who has been ruled out for more than two months with hamstring issue
Title-chasing Arsenal have been dealt a major blow after coach Mikel Arteta confirmed Bukayo Saka is likely to be out for more than two months after undergoing surgery on his injured hamstring.
The England international, 23, went off in the first half of Arsenal's 5-1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace on December 21 and left the stadium on crutches.
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14:00 - 11.11.2024
Mikel Arteta's worrying concern after Chelsea frustrate Arsenal to draw
Mikel Arteta is a worried man after two key players limped off during their 1-1 draw with Chelsea last Sunday.
The 23-year-old is a key player for the Gunners and has scored nine goals and provided 13 assists in 24 games in all competitions this season as his stock continues to rise.
"I said many weeks, so I think it will be more than two months. I don't know exactly how much longer. It will depend on how the scar tissue starts to heal, the first week or so, the mobility of that. Let's see, it's very difficult to say," Arteta told the BBC.
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14:15 - 26.10.2024
Arteta hints at Julien Timber involvement against Liverpool in boost for injury-plagued Gunners
Red-hot Liverpool visit the Emirates hoping to open a seven-point gap against the Gunners with a win
Arsenal beat Ipswich 1-0 on December 27 to move to second position on the table, the second match the winger has missed.
The London side have been handed a welcome fitness boost over Raheem Sterling, with the forward expected to return quicker than expected. Before the match with Ipswich, Arteta had said the 30-year-old Chelsea loanee would be out for weeks with a knee injury.
However, the problem is not as bad as first feared and Sterling could be available for selection again soon."Yes, we have to see this week how he evolves," added Arteta. "We probably expected the knee injury to take longer than it has evolved in the last few days. Hopefully that's good news because we need him."
Arsenal, who are six points behind leaders Liverpool in the table, are next in action on New Year's Day when they visit Brentford.
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