Arsenal were dealt an injury scare during the second half of their clash against Wolves. Bukayo Saka fired the Gunners to a 2-0 win over Wolves at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon, beginning the new Premier League campaign with three points.
Kai Havertz put Arsenal ahead in the first half before Saka doubled the North Londoners’ lead with a quarter of an hour left to play. Shortly after etching his name onto the scoresheet, the 22-year-old winger was spotted limping.
Just moments later, he was replaced by Leandro Trossard – which raised a few eyebrows among the home support, who have become so accustomed to seeing Saka complete full matches. Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Mikel Arteta demanded the Hale End graduate and Declan Rice to be ready for the new season.
“The season starts in nine or 10 days so they (Rice and Saka) have to be ready,” said the Spaniard. “These are the demands they have right now. We really look after them when they are with us, when we have the ability to give them days off we do.
“We gave them days off before the start of the Euros and we have given them the rest that they needed. The best thing to do is to look in their faces and there is that spark in their eyes, to come back and say: ‘I don’t want to miss it because I know how hard it is going to be.’ That is the best sign, that the players want it.”
Then, when asked whether he’ll ease them in, Arteta added: “They will tell us how they are. You throw them in and we will see how they deal with everybody and what they have. They certainly want to be involved.”
