As the Premier League season reaches its final day, Arsenal will have to make their best bid for the title without their most valuable attacking star.
With the lineups for Sunday’s match released an hour before kick-off, Bukayo Saka was not part of Arsenal’s squad, leaving a cavernous hole in the Gunners’ attacking third.
Arsenal are two points behind Manchester City heading into the final matchday, meaning the Gunners need a win against Everton and City to drop points to reach top spot in the standings. Arsenal have a slight goal difference advantage, meaning they would have the tiebreaker if City draw and Arsenal win, which would make them equal on points.
The Jugo Mobile brings you the latest on Arsenal’s squad for the final matchday of the 2023/24 season and why Saka is not part of the squad.
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Where is Bukayo Saka? Arsenal star missing against Everton due to injury
Bukayo Saka will not be in Arsenal’s squad for the May 19 matchday against Everton due to a “slight muscle injury,” according to the club.
Saka has had a long season with a heavy load of minutes and with a busy summer ahead with England in the European Championship, the club has seemingly prioritized his long-term health despite how much is at stake that day.
Bukayo Saka is missing with what #AFC call a “light muscle” problem. Jurrien Timber on the bench for the first time since injuring his ACL on August 12.
– Henry Winter (@henrywinter) May 19, 2024
Who replaced Bukayo Saka in Arsenal’s lineup against Everton?
In place of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli entered Arsenal’s starting lineup, starting at full-back for the first time in the league since early March.
Martinelli will support the prolific Leandro Trossard up front, with Kai Havertz completing the attack.
Arsenal starting lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Raya (GK) – White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu – Odegaard, Partey, Rice – Trossard, Havertz, Martinelli.
Bukayo Saka statistics and injury history for the 2023/24 season
At just 22 years old, Saka has been one of the most consistently dangerous attacking threats in 2023/24 and was nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Season award.
Saka will finish the season with 16 goals and nine assists in 35 games, but it is the almost 3,000 minutes that have reached him on the last day of the campaign.
It is a rarity for the Arsenal star to miss time due to injury, having only seen a ridiculous run of 82 consecutive appearances broken in August. Until the final day of the season against Everton, Saka had played 2,936 of a possible 3,150 minutes in the league, plus a further 929 minutes in other competitions, including 725 in the UEFA Champions League.
If Manchester City drop points but Arsenal are unable to capitalize with Saka on the sidelines, Mikel Arteta might regret using his young superstar so much throughout the long, arduous season.
