Arsenal face nervous wait over Bukayo Saka’s fitness ahead of Forest clash – now.arsenal

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With less than 48 hours until their Premier League showdown with Nottingham Forest, Arsenal are sweating on the fitness of Bukayo Saka, who remains a doubt following an injury sustained against Chelsea before the international break.

The 23-year-old winger had to withdraw from England’s Nations League squad for matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland. His decision to prioritise recovery drew criticism from some sections of the media and even England captain Harry Kane, who stressed the importance of prioritising national team commitments.

Hopes that Saka would fully recover in time for this weekend’s clash at the Emirates have diminished. According to the Daily Mail, the Arsenal star is in a “race against time” to feature against Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest side.

READ MORE: Arsenal receive major injury boost as key defender returns to training ahead of Nottingham Forest clash

Saka’s absence would be a significant blow for Arsenal, whose recent dip in form has yielded just two wins in their last seven matches. Currently sitting fourth in the Premier League, the Gunners are level on points with fifth-placed Forest, leading only on goal difference.

Fans remain hopeful that Mikel Arteta’s track record of strategic injury misdirection is at play. Oleksandr Zinchenko recently revealed to The Athletic that Arteta often uses injury concerns to unsettle opposition managers.

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“I’ve seen Mikel tell injured players to join the team bus and walk into the dressing room with their wash bag, just to throw the other manager off,” Zinchenko shared. “He loves to play games with the opposition.”

Arteta’s tactics paid off last month when Saka, initially labelled “uncertain” to play against Liverpool, not only started the match but also scored within nine minutes in a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Emirates.

“I don’t want to make it easy for anyone,” Arteta said after that game. “The opponent has to do their homework – like I have to.”

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