Bukayo Saka injury sparks fears for Arsenal after early exit from England match
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka was subbed off for England due to injury shortly after the Three Lions went behind at home to Greece in their Nations League clash on Thursday
by Nathan Ridley · The MirrorBukayo Saka hobbled away from England's dire defeat to Greece and will leave Arsenal worried over the damage he may have done.
Saka, 23, started Thursday's 2-1 Nations League loss at Wembley in as part of an attack-minded line-up from interim manager Lee Carsley. After an unconvincing first half, Greece took the lead on 49 minutes in what proved to be a double blow.
Having missed a challenge on goalscorer Vangelis Pavlidis, Saka went down injured after the ball hit the back of the net. The Arsenal star ultimately couldn't continue and was subbed off for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.
Saka had a night to forget at Wembley, picking up a yellow card just before half-time for a cynical challenge on Greece's Giorgos Masouras. The 23-year-old has started every game for club and country this seaso,n and has already managed seven assists in the Premier League, with two goals to boot.
But he couldn't repeat his Arsenal heroics for England, who almost found themselves 1-0 down in the first few minutes after goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was caught out way off his line. Fortunately, Three Lions centre-back Levi Colwill was awake to rush back and produce a magnificent goal-line clearance.
Shortly after netting the opening goal through Benfica striker Pavlidis, Greece briefly thought they'd scored again. Olympiacos winger Masouras finished well past Pickford but Pavlidis was adjudged to have been offside in the build-up and the goal was quickly chalked off, just as they'd had with one chance in the first half.
Substitute Ollie Watkins had the chance to punish Greece seconds later but blazed his clear chance over the bar of Newcastle goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos. The Greeks continued to push for a second troubled England with a series of corners with 20 minutes to go, and Carsley couldn't rely on Saka to produce some magic.
As the Three Lions pushed for an equaliser, Jude Bellingham stepped up to make it 1-1 with two minutes of normal time remaming. But Greece had the last laugh, as Pavlidis finished off a scramble in the 94th minute and condemned England to their first competitive defeat at Wembley in four years.
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Saka's injury will be of concern to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, with the Gunners due to face Bournemouth next Saturday as the Premier League returns. Arsenal will then welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to the Emirates for a Champions League game before a clash with potential title rivals Liverpool.
Arteta's side end October with a trip to Preston North End in the Carabao Cup fourth round, with their squad depth set to be tested. Captain Martin Odegaard has missed Arsenal's last seven games after picking up an injury during the last international break in September, with the Norweigan yet to return to training.
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