By implying that the winger might have even played on Sunday, Lee Carsley has raised hopes that Bukayo Saka will be healthy enough to play against Bournemouth the following weekend.
The fact that interim England manager Lee Carsley has revealed that Bukayo Saka might have even been considered for Arsenal’s match against Finland next weekend gives them a better chance of having the player in their matchday squad against Bournemouth.
“Bukayo would have been close but it would have been unfair to take a risk with him,” Carsley said.
“He’s a positive person and I expect him to be fine.”
Saka has withdrew from international duty for the rest of the October break, England revealed on Saturday, departing the camp before their trip to Finland.
According to Ryan Taylor, the decision was made after consulting with Arsenal’s medical experts, and the winger returned to the club for more evaluation.
Saka was substituted early in the second half of England’s opening match of the break due to a hamstring injury.
Following that, the player was observed leaving the game with a minor limp.
Saka is now expected to have scans to determine the extent of the problem, however preliminary indications indicate it is not too bad.
Next Saturday, October 19, Arsenal will play Bournemouth, and on Tuesday, October 22, they will play Shakhtar Donetsk. However, the crucial match is scheduled for October 27, which is only sixteen days away, against Liverpool.
Saka’s availability against the league leaders may be crucial given his performance this season, which has seen him provide 10 goals in 10 appearances for Arsenal.