Bukayo Saka almost won the game for Arsenal against Nottingham Forest.
The Premier League leaders were held to a 0-0 draw at the City Ground on Saturday and failed to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Mikel Arteta made a couple of interesting changes to his side. Saka and Leandro Trossard were both dropped to the bench, and Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli started in their place.
The Arsenal manager revealed the reason behind his decision after the game.
Describe your emotions after Arsenal drop points vs Nottingham Forest
Mikel Arteta confirms Bukayo Saka had a ‘niggle’ before Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Bukayo Saka is one of Arsenal’s most important players.
The England international is not having his best season, but he has still directly contributed to 13 goals, which is a very decent return.
On Saturday, when the team news came out, many Arsenal fans were surprised to see their number seven on the bench.
Arteta brought Saka on in the second half, and the 24-year-old came the closest to breaking the deadlock. But his header was saved brilliantly by Matz Sels.
After the game, the Arsenal boss was asked why he left Saka on the bench at the start.
He replied, as per the club’s official website: “Bukayo had a lot of minutes, and he had a niggle before the game. So we need to manage our players.
“We have some fantastic players that can provide different things, and we did try it from the beginning, we tried after half-time as well, taking more risks and bringing in even more players in those attacking options.
“We tried in every way, and it wasn’t enough, unfortunately.”
Is there any current player you love more than Bukayo Saka, if yes, who and why?
Bukayo Saka’s injury niggle is a concern but Mikel Arteta made the right decision
Over the years, Saka has had to play with minor injuries on multiple occasions. That’s because Arsenal never had a good enough backup for him.
Many fans felt that the England star’s hamstring injury in December 2024 was a consequence of Arteta overusing him in games.
This season, the Arsenal manager has been a lot more cautious, and his decision to start Saka on the bench when he wasn’t fully fit was the right one.
However, the Arsenal’s number seven’s fitness issue, albeit a minor one, is a concern as his load this season hasn’t been as heavy as in previous years.
It will now be interesting to see if Saka will start against Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
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