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Bukayo Saka before he went off against Bayern Munich(Image: (Alex Grimm/Getty Images))
Martin Keown believes Bukayo Saka could be out for several weeks after picking up an injury during Arsenal’s draw with Bayern Munich. Saka was replaced by Eberechi Eze in the 10th minute of his side’s 2-2 Champions League draw at the Allianz Arena due to a quad issue.
The England international has started all seven of Arsenal’s Premier League matches this season and two of three Champions League games. However, former Arsenal defender Keown believes the injury is worrying, as Saka could face several weeks on the sidelines.
"Well it's worrying because [Christos] Tzolis on the other wing was injured as well," he told TNT Sports. "I think he's trying to dig this one out.
"Just trying to scoop it and then he goes down obviously in a lot of pain. It looks like his thigh muscle so that can be a number of weeks and they'll be scanning him tomorrow, early hours of tonight probably trying to get him fit again.
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"It's a blow though because you don't want to keep losing quality players and he started the game really but again it's the strength in depth to have Eze and playing as he did but you want this man fit. He's been magnificent for the club the last four or five years."
Speaking after the game in Munich, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta admitted that Saka’s injury "doesn't look good at all".
He said: "They are a bit concerned. A player who has to come off with a really sharp pain is never good news but we have to wait and see."
Before he added in his post-match press conference: "The level of intensity this game requires is something incredible. You could see it last night, the PSG-Barcelona game, what happened.
Mikel Arteta during Arsenal's draw with Bayern Munich(Image: (Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images))
"This is man-to-man for 96 minutes in every action. There’s no breathing. The stress, the quality, the intensity, the level that you need, it’s unbelievable. It’s the highest level. And those things happen, unfortunately. It doesn’t look good at all, but we have to wait and see."
On the draw, Arteta said: "We take the draw, although that doesn’t mean that we are not keen to win the game.
"You could see that right from the beginning, the mindset, the purpose and the intention that the team has, to be very dominant, to come here and cause problems to Bayern, to press them and to attack them, and that’s certainly what we’ve done.
"We went down, the team showed an incredible composure, spirit to keep going, to attack them.
"I know the opponent that we have played, the players and the coach. That’s why I think I have to give my big credit to our team and our players."