Bukayo Saka is missing again as England play Spain at the Metropolitano on Sunday, still recovering from the thigh injury that has now kept him out of Arsenal's last five matches in all competitions. The open question for Arsenal is not Madrid but Saturday, Nov. 21, when the league leaders resume their season at Newcastle, and so far there has been no update on whether Saka will be available.
Ten minutes against Bayern
The injury occured just 10 minutes into Arsenal's 2-2 Champions League draw with Bayern Munich on Oct. 21. Saka went down after playing a routine pass, with no apparent contact from an opponent, and could not continue. Eberechi Eze replaced him.
Early reports suggested a layoff of six to eight weeks. Measured from Oct. 21, that would mean a return somewhere between early and mid-December, which would rule out Newcastle. Before Arsenal's win over Hull on Nov. 7, though, Mikel Arteta said he was optimistic Saka would be back earlier than first expected. Nothing since has confirmed a date.
What Arsenal have done without him
Arsenal went into the break five points clear at the top with 27 points from 10 league games, and they did it with a defense that had conceded five goals, not a free-scoring attack. Saka had four goals and one assist in 11 appearances before he was hurt, which makes him one of the main sources of the goals Arsenal have not been scoring in bulk.
Eze stepped in on the night against Bayern. The difference at St James' Park is the opponent: an away game against Newcastle is the kind of match in which a team that relies on defense needs its best wide threat.
England's stand-in is already settled
For Thomas Tuchel, Saka's absence has stopped being a problem. Morgan Rogers has played on the right in England's Nations League wins over Czechia and Croatia and scored the opener in the 2-1 win over Croatia at Wembley, according to the Premier League's international round-up. He was expected to keep the role in Madrid.
Arteta's next press conference before the Newcastle trip is where the answer should come. Until then, the original six-to-eight-week estimate still points past Nov. 21, and only the manager's optimism points the other way.
