Bukayo Saka have been Arsenal’s most lethal attacker this season. The England international has had 22 goal contributions for the Gunners in 24 outings this season. But Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will have to make do without his talisman for the foreseeable future as Saka limped off the pitch only 24 minutes after the kick-off at Selhurst Park on Saturday. Who will be the Bukayo Saka replacement at Arsenal over the coming weeks? We looked at some potential solutions.
How Important is Saka at Arsenal?
In the last three seasons, Saka has been unavailable for only 10 of Arsenal’s 172 matches across all competitions. What’s more impressive is that, since his Premier League debut six seasons ago, he has never missed more than one consecutive top-flight game due to injury.
It’s a rare sight for Arsenal to be without Saka, but now they face a new challenge as he will be sidelined for ‘many weeks’ after suffering a hamstring injury at Crystal Palace.
This is a major setback for Arsenal, given their heavy reliance on the England winger. His contribution in terms of end product is unmatched at the club, with only a select few Premier League players having a greater impact in goals and assists.
Saka is vital to Arsenal’s strategy, and it shows in the numbers. In the past four seasons, he has accumulated more minutes than the next two most reliable forwards combined.
Arsenal’s Potential Saka Replacement Plans
For the time being, Gabriel Martinelli looks set to take over on the right wing, as he was the immediate Saka replacement in the 5-1 victory over Palace.
Martinelli made the switch from left to right, ending the game with both a goal and an assist. Although tougher challenges than Palace lie ahead, it’s significant that he also started on the right in Arsenal’s final-day win over Everton last season.
Much like Saka, Martinelli possesses a similar attacking edge out wide, with the 23-year-old second only to the Englishman in the Premier League for most one-on-ones over the last two and a half seasons.
Another player to step in for Saka on that flank is Gabriel Jesus, who began in Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City last October while the England winger missed the match due to an injury.
In the past week, Jesus has found his stride at centre forward for Arsenal, with five goals in his last two games. The challenge for Arteta is whether he’ll weaken another area of the team to compensate for Saka’s absence.
Arteta pointed to Leandro Trossard as a Saka replacement candidate. The Belgian’s two-footedness makes him a good fit for Arteta’s tactics, but, similar to Martinelli, he is more adept at playing on the left.
Ethan Nwaneri might also get the chance to deputise for Saka. The youngest player in Arsenal’s history and the youngest to make a Premier League appearance might hold the key. Nwaneri may be more of a creative midfielder than a wide forward, but he could introduce a new element on the right.
