Mikel Arteta will need to find a way to replace the best player in the Premier League during Bukayo Saka’s injury layoff, according to a current player who has faced the Arsenal star.
Saka is set to miss time due to a hamstring injury sustained in Arsenal’s 5-1 victory at Crystal Palace before Christmas. Some reports suggest he could be out until March. Arteta confirmed the news in a press conference before Arsenal’s upcoming match with Ipswich, stating, “It’s not looking good. He’s going to be out for many weeks. It is what it is. He’s injured, we cannot change it. We’re going to use this time now to help him.”
Arteta mentioned he was “putting some ideas together” to deal with Saka’s absence, although one option, on-loan winger Raheem Sterling, is also sidelined with a knee injury.
The Gunners manager could rely on players like Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Kai Havertz to fill the attacking void, as Arsenal heads into the match six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, with the gap potentially growing to nine if Liverpool beats Leicester on Boxing Day.
Replacing Saka won’t be easy for Arteta, and one player who may understand the challenge is Nottingham Forest full-back Ola Aina, who considers Saka the best player in the Premier League right now.
Aina, who has impressed this season with Forest sitting fourth in the table, just two points behind Arsenal, discussed Saka’s brilliance on the Filthy Fellas podcast. When asked who he thought was the best player in the league, Aina immediately replied, “Saka. Every game… he just does it. Let’s be honest here, bro, Saka is scoring, he’s doing a mad ting.”
He elaborated on why he ranks Saka above other top players, saying: “Rodri is sick, he makes City tick… but Saka just does it every game. That’s one player when I came off the pitch at the Emirates… I had to respect it.”