Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard Arsenal injury reality hands Mikel Arteta scary Liverpool issue

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been very unfortunate regarding key absences this season and that trend does not look set to end any time soon. Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard, for the same offence, have both missed action through suspension while the injury issues have been arriving on a regular basis.

In the opening few weeks of the campaign, Arsenal were without Takehiro Tomiyasu and new signing Mikel Merino.

A new calf issue for Oleksandr Zinchenko has seen him miss the last few weeks with Gabriel Jesus also spending a period out of the team back in August. As for the more recent injury blows, Martin Odegaard suffered ankle ligament damage in action for Norway last month with it unlikely he returns until late November.

Ben White soon followed the Gunners captain as a player missing because of a muscular problem with the defender plagued by a groin issue. One positive is that Arteta finally has the squad depth to rest White with Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber covering the full-back slots.

However, the Netherlands international picked up an injury during the Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain. That weekend's clash against Southampton came too soon for Timber but Arteta's update suggested both he and White could be back to face Bournemouth after the international break.

Even prior to several key players representing their nations, injury problems were mounting and they have only increased with Bukayo Saka now a major doubt. The 23-year-old hobbled off in England's Nations League defeat with it

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Though a double injury return could arrive at Vitality Stadium for Arteta, he could be without two of his most influential players. Given their huge importance, not once has the Arsenal boss ever had to navigate a Premier League clash without both Odegaard and Saka.

The duo have of course missed some games through injury but in those moments, the one not absent has stepped up to the plate. The closest Arteta has come to having neither available was back in January 2021 where Odegaard played just seven minutes on his debut in the 0-0 draw at home to Manchester United when Saka was absent.

In the last three-and-a-half years plenty has happened, but what has become clear is that Arteta is yet to really experience a Premier League game without both Saka and Odegaard. The Gunners should have enough quality in their ranks to beat Bournemouth next Saturday, however the following weekend presents a different challenge.

On Sunday, October 27, Arne Slot's Liverpool head to Emirates Stadium for a huge fixture against Arsenal which could have huge title implications. Because of that clash being on the horizon, Arteta may opt to keep Saka away from the matchday squads facing Bournemouth and Shakhtar in the next ten days.