Arsenal left reeling by injury 'more serious than Martin Odegaard blow'

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Bukayo Saka’s injury is “more serious” for Arsenal than the previous absence of Martin Odegaard, Matt Holland has claimed.

Saka is facing a long spell on the sidelines after being forced out of the Gunners’ thrashing of Crystal Palaca on Saturday (21 December).

It is of course not the first time that Mikel Arteta’s side have lost a talismanic figure, and they did previously struggle in the absence of Odegaard in the latter stages of last season and start of this.

However, Holland has now suggested that the absence of Saka could prove to be even more of a problem for Arsenal than when the Norwegian was absent.

Speaking ahead of the Gunners’ clash with Ipswich Town on Friday (27 December), the former Ireland international was asked if Arteta would feel confident about coming through the absence of Saka, after navigating Odegaard’s past injury, which may have been viewed as a “more serious” one.

Responding to that question on Amazon Prime Sport‘s coverage of the game, Holland said (7:25pm): “I think it’s perhaps more serious than Martin Odegaard’s. He’s that important Bukayo Saka.

“I think they struggled a little bit without Martin Odegaard, and they dropped points that ordinarily you’d say they wouldn’t have done. To lose Bukayo Saka, his numbers are through the roof, his assists, his goals, and he’s such a key player I think it’s a bigger loss than Martin Odegaard.”

Bukayo Saka absence is as big a problem for Arsenal as Martin Odegaard’s

Football Insider Opinion

There is no avoiding the fact that Saka is going to be a major miss for the Gunners while he is absent due to this injury.

As Holland notes, the England international is one of the most reliable sources of both goals and assists Arsenal, with 15 direct contributions in 16 Premier League games this season (ESPN).

Any team is going to miss an influence such as that, and given what is at stake for Arteta’s side in the title race especially that will be a huge blow.

Of course, the absence of Odegaard did lead to some below-par results for the club previously, so there will be a fear that losing Saka will lead to a similar situation, which they cannot afford as they attempt to chase down Liverpool at the top of the table.

It is not just the individual absence of the England international that will hurt Arsenal, with the fact that he and Odegaard so often seem to bring the best out of each other perhaps now raising questions about whether he can produce the same impact.

For many reasons therefore, everyone at the Emirates will doubtless be desperate to see Saka back fit and playing again as soon as possible.

In other news, Arsenal have been backed to “break the bank” to sign a big name centre-forward.

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