Arteta confirms Dowman will get minutes as Saka injury scans awaited
Dowman set for more minutes as Saka faces scans
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Max Dowman will get more minutes for Arsenal in the upcoming games, after Bukayo Saka was substituted inside the first 10 minutes of the Champions League showdown against Bayern Munich with a quad injury.
Saka's severity unclear
Reports suggest Saka could be out for up to eight weeks, although Arteta said the extent of the injury is not yet known. No Arsenal player has directly contributed to more goals this season than Saka, who has five, level with Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice. The winger has also created the fourth-most chances for the Gunners (12).
"He's got quite a lot of fluid in the area, so it was difficult to understand the extent of the injury, but we will probably know more [on Saturday]," said Arteta. "We need a few more scans and opinions from the specialists. Obviously, when a player has to walk off the pitch, he is struggling to walk without any pain, his movement is restricted; they are not good signs.
"So, again, let's be a little bit patient so we can get a definitive assessment, and I will let you know."
Limited options on the wing
With Christos Tzolis also out injured, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Dowman are Arsenal's remaining options on the wing. The Gunners have five fixtures left before the international break starts on November 9.
Dowman returns to scene of his record
Arsenal's first game in the run is at home to Everton, the same fixture in which Dowman scored last season to become the youngest scorer in Premier League history.
"There is something inevitable to go back to that memory and the feeling of the moment," said Arteta. "That's with us, and that's going to stay in that stadium for a long, long time.
"He's [Dowman] training, and every time he's got a moment to play, he is showing that he is a player who is going to impact the game, so for sure he is going to have minutes. It would be a great story if we win the game, especially."