Arteta handling of Saka questioned as Arsenal left short for biggest test

Manchester City is not a team that can ever be underestimated, but they will face Arsenal without their two most important players, Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri. They also have less time to recover and are coming off a loss to Wolves, giving some indication that they may not be invincible.

Now may be the most opportune moment, particularly during Pep Guardiola's reign, for Arsenal to overcome the reigning champions. Securing their first League victory against City since 2015 would provide a considerable mental edge for the upcoming season.

Arsenal's upcoming crucial match on Sunday afternoon might see the absence of Bukayo Saka, their key player, as he had to leave the field during yesterday's defeat in the Champions League game held in Lens.

Saka was undergoing evaluation in London Colney today due to some discomfort in a muscle. If he cannot participate in one of the most significant matches for Arsenal this season, it will cause Mikel Arteta to face uneasy inquiries.

Lens coach Haise commented on the remarkable victory against Arsenal, stating that his team possesses a great deal of personality.

Saka has suffered injuries for the third consecutive game after being hit in previous League matches against Tottenham and Bournemouth. This has led to speculations about the head coach's management of his talented player.

Saka has frequently seemed unbeatable, and Arteta has always motivated him to advance to the next level in his progress by evolving into an exceptional player who can make crucial choices in top-level matches every 72 hours.

A 22-year-old player has managed to participate in 87 games in a row for Arsenal, setting a new record for the club. Additionally, this season alone, he has already completed 683 out of a potential 720 minutes of playtime in both the Champions League and Premier League.

Last season, he was able to take a break and rest before the Leeds game on April 1st. However, even though Arsenal had a comfortable lead of 3-0, he still played for the last half-hour. This impressive feat now makes him the only player in the history of Arsenal to have played in every game for two consecutive Premier League seasons.

What is the limit to how much football one should play?

Saka had been facing difficulties due to injuries before the journey to France. It was arguable that Arteta should have given him a break, especially with City in the upcoming game. However, the victory against Lens and their excellent performance proved Arteta's decision to not take any chances.

Arteta has mentioned that Saka has gained a lot of experience and can now determine when he can support the team and when he cannot. However, Saka is known for being a team player as he has proven by playing with a minor Achilles injury last season.

The demanding timetable is causing stress for each player, especially someone like Saka, who runs more and receives more hits than others, and as Arteta has admitted, Arsenal might have to take steps to preserve their valuable player.

It's possible that Arsenal, under Arteta's leadership, has grown too dependent on Saka. This isn't necessarily surprising, given Saka's talent and ability.

He helped Gabriel Jesus score the first goal with a precise shot into the lower corner of the goal. This achievement has made him the only player in Europe's top five leagues to have accumulated five or more goals and assists this season. After he was substituted with Fabio Vieira, Arsenal's performance declined significantly.

Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard, who recently returned to the pitch, were not very effective during 70 minutes of play compared to Saka who posed a greater threat in just 30 minutes. The usually dependable Martin Odegaard appeared to struggle to take control of the game. If Arsenal wants to compete against City, they'll have to step up their game.

Arteta's recent trip was really rough because of a bunch of unfortunate events. First, they had to wait for almost five hours at Luton Airport on Monday night. Then, the team's new top goalkeeper, David Raya, made a big mistake during the game. However, the biggest worry for Arteta was Saka's injury.

The Spanish player, who was brought on board to improve Aaron Ramsdale's ball handling skills, made a mistake by losing possession through a bad pass. As a result, Adrien Thomasson capitalized on it and scored an excellent equalizer after a deft touch by Elye Wahi. Later on, during the second half of the game, the 20-year-old Wahi, who caught everyone's attention, scored a well-executed winning goal. This was a well-deserved victory for Lens, who displayed bravery and energy throughout the game in front of a lively crowd. Keep an eye out for Elye Wahi in the future, he's definitely a player to watch.

In certain ways, there isn't a more fitting match for Arsenal to bounce back from their first loss of the season than facing the champions. The team led by Arteta won't require any additional encouragement when playing at their home stadium, and will have the impression that City isn't as invincible as they seemed during the two matches they played last year.

Arsenal's chances of achieving a significant victory will decrease drastically if Saka is unable to play. Arteta will have to wait anxiously to find out how much his risky decision to start the winger last night has failed.