Bukayo Saka injury update ahead of Man City clash as Mikel Arteta delivers ‘big’ VAR verdict
Following the Champions League match against Lens, a recap of your day Arsenal stories including updates on VAR and Zlatan Ibrahimovic
On Tuesday night, Mikel Arteta witnessed Arsenal’s comeback to Champions League play end in a loss to Lens of France. Gabriel Jesus gave the Gunners the lead after 30 minutes, but in the next 20 minutes, Arsenal suffered two setbacks.
First, Bukayo Saka had to be removed due to a hamstring injury, and then Lens equalized through Adrien Thomasson. Despite the setback, the Gunners responded brilliantly when Lens tied the score and Saka was injured.
The best opportunity of the second half fell to Takehiro Tomiyasu, whose ferocious drive from a corner was stopped by Brice Samba at close range. That error later came back to haunt you as Elye Wahi, who had been linked with moves to both Chelsea and Arsenal this past summer, scored an impressive goal to give Lens the lead past David Raya.
Reiss Nelson came the closest to scoring for the Gunners late in the game, but no equalizer was produced, and the team’s perfect start to the season came to an end.
Saka injury update
Mikel Arteta provided the latest on the potential injury to Bukayo Saka after Arsenal’s Champions League clash with RC Lens. The Gunners went in front in the first half but saw their lead taken away with the French side turning the game on its head Thomasson and Wahi on target.
In between those goals, Saka was taken off with a hamstring injury for Fabio Vieira, with Arteta providing an early diagnosis before the Gunners face Manchester City this weekend. In his post-match press conference, he said: “He tried to backheel a ball in the first half and he felt something. It was something muscular. He wasn’t able to carry on and we had to take him off.”
Zlatan on potential Arsenal move
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revealed the reason why a move to Arsenal at the start of his career never happened. Since retiring at the end of last season, Ibrahimovic has kept under the radar… until now.
“On Thursday evening, the 42-year-old will be interviewed by Piers Morgan, with many items on the agenda. And in a clip released on Tuesday, Ibrahimovic has opened up about why he never played for Arsenal. Back in the 2000s, Ibrahimovic had caught the eye of Arsene Wenger with his performances at Swedish outfit Malmo.
However, the move never materialised and he eventually moved to the Netherlands to play for Ajax – where he scored 48 goals in 110 games. Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, he said: “Wenger invited me but I didn’t go to Arsenal. I don’t do trials. No, no, you don’t understand, I don’t do trials. I am the best. F*** the rest.”
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Arteta gives take on VAR
Mikel Arteta has admitted “the pressure is increasing” on VAR’s future following Tottenham Hotspur’s win over Liverpool. Spurs snatched a 96th-minute winner to crush Liverpool hearts at the weekend but most of the post-match fall-out has centred around the officials.
Luis Diaz was ruled to have been offside in the first half, preventing the Reds from taking a 1-0 lead. Replays revealed that the Columbian was unmistakably onside, requiring the refereeing organization PGMOL to issue an apology following the game. The Reds will also appeal Curtis Jones’ first-half dismissal for a tackle on Yves Bissouma because they finished the game with nine men.
Before Arsenal’s Champions League trip to RC Lens, Arteta was questioned about his thoughts on the VAR saga. He acknowledged that animosity toward the technology is growing. “You know you want to get what you deserve in the end,” he continued. You aim to reduce mistakes that are uncontrollable away from the task and the job that you do on a daily basis.
“We had some big discussions (about VAR) before the start of the season and everyone had the right intentions to improve the game and find the best way to take it forward. But it’s true that, with everything that already happened this season, not just in the Premier League but in other countries as well, the pressure is increasing.
“It’s not easy for them. It’s not easy for any club or any manager because that really affects part of the season or a result and that is a dangerous thing to do.”