Bukayo Saka suffered yet another minor injury during an international break, once again, and we really do have to wonder how significant the problem actually is. Will his leg issue keep him out of the clash at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday? Most likely not, as this was probably just a way to get Saka out of England duty (again), under the guise of something “precautionary.” We’ve seen this with Saka, time and time again.
Arsenal FC at AFC Bournemouth FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Oct. 19, 5:30 pm, Vitality Stadium
Arsenal Preview Content: Full Injury Report Team News Starting XI Prediction
Google Result Probability: Arsenal 58% Draw 23% Bournemouth 19%
PL Form: Arsenal DWDWW Bournemouth WLLWL
PL Standing: Arsenal 3rd, 17 pts Bournemouth 13th, 8 pts
Team News for Both Sides
Elsewhere Gabriel Martinelli (calf issue) missed Brazil’s win over Peru, so he’ll need to pass a late fitness test in order to feature here. Ditto for Kai Havertz, who pulled out of Germany duty with a knee problem. Both should be fine. The same goes for Ben White and Jurrien Timber; they should both be healed up by now.
However, Martin Odegaard, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu will all remain sidelined.
While the Gunners injury list is very very long, Bournemouth’s is remarkably short- the only concern is American midfield maestro Tyler Adams, who is working his way back from a knee injury, and may play only a limited role.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.