Gunners sweating on major new blow ahead of Chelsea semi-final decider in Carabao Cup

Arsenal injuries: Mikel Merino, Bukayo Saka and Max Dowman

Arsenal have been hit by an injury to Bukayo Saka ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg showdown with Chelsea.

The Gunners’ attacking talisman was hurt in the warm-up ahead of Saturday’s thumping 4-0 win over Leeds in the Premier League.

Though replacement Noni Madueke was superb after receiving a late promotion to the starting lineup at Elland Road, Saka’s setback will be a huge concern to Mikel Arteta ahead of Chelsea’s visit to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, in a tie that his side lead 3-2 as they look to book their place at Wembley on March 22.

It is another big week and busy month for Arsenal as they continue to fight for major silverware on four different fronts during what could yet be a truly special season, having snapped a three-game winless run in the top-flight in Yorkshire and reaffirmed their title credentials following more questions about their ability to last the distance.

Sunderland head to north London next weekend after Chelsea’s visit, with derbies against Brentford and arch-rivals Tottenham then sandwiched between an FA Cup fourth-round contest at home to Wigan.

There had been mostly good news on the fitness front of late for Arteta, with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber both returning against Leeds after respective knocks, Kai Havertz starting again and playing an hour, and Riccardo Calafiori getting his first league minutes since December.

Arsenal have been hit by an injury to Bukayo Saka ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg showdown with Chelsea.

The Gunners’ attacking talisman was hurt in the warm-up ahead of Saturday’s thumping 4-0 win over Leeds in the Premier League.

Though replacement Noni Madueke was superb after receiving a late promotion to the starting lineup at Elland Road, Saka’s setback will be a huge concern to Mikel Arteta ahead of Chelsea’s visit to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, in a tie that his side lead 3-2 as they look to book their place at Wembley on March 22.

It is another big week and busy month for Arsenal as they continue to fight for major silverware on four different fronts during what could yet be a truly special season, having snapped a three-game winless run in the top-flight in Yorkshire and reaffirmed their title credentials following more questions about their ability to last the distance.

Sunderland head to north London next weekend after Chelsea’s visit, with derbies against Brentford and arch-rivals Tottenham then sandwiched between an FA Cup fourth-round contest at home to Wigan.

There had been mostly good news on the fitness front of late for Arteta, with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber both returning against Leeds after respective knocks, Kai Havertz starting again and playing an hour, and Riccardo Calafiori getting his first league minutes since December.

But it doesn’t get much worse for Arsenal than an injury to Saka, who has repeatedly struggled with hamstring issues in recent seasons. Here is all the latest Arsenal injury news and return dates ahead of the clash with Chelsea.

Bukayo Saka

Saka was, as expected, selected to return to Arsenal’s starting lineup against Leeds having been rested during Wednesday night’s 3-2 home win over Kairat in a Champions League dead-rubber.

But he picked up an injury during the warm-up and went straight down the tunnel with a physio before Madueke was drafted in and Christian Norgaard – who did not even make the matchday squad along with Myles Lewis-Skelly – added to the bench.

It was being reported initially as an issue with Saka’s left hip, though Arteta would not divulge any specifics after the game as he insisted that the severity of the injury was not yet known.

Setback: Saka was injured in the warm-up before Arsenal thrashed Leeds

“So in the warm-up he had a little niggle,” Arteta said. “He wasn’t comfortable to start the game so immediately we made a decision to make that change and bring Noni in and he was ready, because you cannot do that in two minutes.

The way he prepares, the way he waited for an opportunity, I think it paid off today. He really impacted the team.”

Asked how serious Saka’s injury was, Arteta replied: “We don’t know yet.”

Saka will presumably now be sent for tests and considered a doubt to face Chelsea, until we hear otherwise.

Potential return date: Unknown

Mikel Merino

Along with Norgaard and Lewis-Skelly, there was no Mikel Merino in the Arsenal squad named to face Leeds on Saturday.

Rather than being simply overlooked like the other pair, however, Arteta confirmed ahead of kick-off that his fellow Spaniard was suffering with a foot injury.

Merino is now set to undergo scans as Arsenal seek the opinion of specialists on exactly how long he will be sidelined for.

Versatile: Merino has been a key player for Arsenal this season

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“He’s got an issue in his foot,” Arteta said. “It’s a bone that’s giving him some pain, and we have some exams.

“We need some more specialists to look at it and to see how long he will be out.”

Merino did not train ahead of the midweek win over Champions League debutants Kairat, for which he was suspended.

Potential return date: Unknown

Max Dowman

With Saliba and Timber declared fit and nothing on Merino emerging until Saturday, Arsenal’s only known injury absentee heading into the weekend was Max Dowman.

The teenage sensation, who recently committed his future to the club with a pre-contract agreement, has been sidelined since sustaining ankle ligament damage while playing in an Under-21s friendly against Manchester United at St George’s Park last month.



Big future: Arteta recently compared Dowman’s rise to that of Lionel Messi at Barcelona

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“It will be a little bit more than [Cristhian] Mosquera’s [ankle injury],” Arteta said of Dowman’s recovery on Friday. “Obviously, he’s growing, and we need to be very careful and a little bit more protective.

“He has a different schedule as well because he needs to go to school, so we need to respect a lot of things throughout that process. But I think he’s quite close.

“He’s on the pitch now, he’s doing well and hopefully we’re going to be able to see him soon.”