Saka Faces At Least Six Weeks Out After Bayern Injury

Arsenal fear Bukayo Saka could be out for at least six weeks, and possibly eight. The winger hurt his quadriceps, the large muscle at the front of the thigh, during Arsenal's 2-2 Champions League draw at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Saka was taken off after only 10 minutes at the Allianz Arena. He fell while trying to pass, clutched his left thigh and limped off. Eberechi Eze came on in his place.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said earlier this week that the injury "does not look good" (BBC Sport). He has not yet been able to give a return date. He says the club needs more scans and specialist opinions before it can give a firm verdict.

Fluid around the muscle has made the injury hard to read. Saka will have an MRI scan, a detailed scan that uses magnets to build pictures of soft tissue, on Friday afternoon. After early checks, Arsenal's medical staff estimate he will miss a minimum of six weeks, and it could be as long as eight (BBC Sport).

Saka will miss Arsenal's home Premier League match against Everton on Saturday. If he is out for as long as feared, he will also miss England's UEFA Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain. The Nations League is the competition that pits international teams against each other across the autumn and winter.

The wider picture is one of a tight title race. Arsenal are second in the Premier League, three points behind leaders Manchester City. Saka has four goals in 11 appearances this season, so the club will feel his absence on the pitch as well as in the team sheet.

For now, the next step is Friday's scan. Until the results come back, Arsenal and England will have to plan without one of their most important attacking players, and fans will have to wait for a clearer timeline.