Mikel Arteta watched his Arsenal side cruise past Leeds 5-0 on Saturday, but the evening wasn’t without concern for the Gunners boss.
The Emirates crowd celebrated the official arrival of Eberechi Eze before kick-off, then enjoyed a dominant display as Arsenal maintained their perfect start to the campaign.
However, the night took a sour turn as Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka were both forced off with injuries, an unwelcome blow just a week before their clash with Liverpool at Anfield.
Arteta provides updates on Ødegaard and Saka
Speaking after the game, Arteta admitted the injuries were a major worry, with both players set for scans to determine the extent of the damage.
“Martin felt something in his shoulder when he landed—we’ll know more after a scan,” Arteta explained. “As for Bukayo, he pulled up with a hamstring issue while battling with a defender.
It seems different from his previous injury, but it’s still concerning. He knows the feeling, so we’ll have to wait for clarity.”
The Spaniard also noted Arsenal have already lost Kai Havertz to a knee problem, highlighting just how demanding the Premier League is in terms of squad depth.
Possible layoff periods
While Arteta stopped short of giving a timeframe, injury expert @physioscout suggested Ødegaard could miss 1–2 weeks with a minor sprain, but up to a month if it’s more serious.
Saka’s case looks worse—ranging from 2–4 weeks out at best to as long as 8–12 weeks if it’s a Grade 3 hamstring injury.
This means the England international is certain to miss the Liverpool showdown, with Havertz already sidelined and Ødegaard also a major doubt.
Impact on the Liverpool clash
Liverpool themselves have fitness concerns, with Jeremie Frimpong unavailable and Conor Bradley only just returning to training.
This could force Jürgen Klopp into reshuffling his backline, potentially using Dominik Szoboszlai or Joe Gomez at right-back.
While Arsenal will feel the absence of Saka, Havertz, and potentially Ødegaard, they remain a formidable test for Liverpool at Anfield next Sunday.
