Bukayo Saka's return a game-changer for Arsenal but what does it mean for Ethan Nwaneri and Martin Odegaard?
Bukayo Saka is set to return for Arsenal after three months out with a hamstring tear; England international's injury was a huge blow to the Gunners' title hopes; his comeback could impact Ethan Nwaneri, Martin Odegaard and Ben White
Tuesday 1 April 2025 08:32, UK
It is a testament to Bukayo Saka's importance to Arsenal that even after three months out through injury, he remains their leading provider of goals and assists this season.
His combined total of 22 in 24 appearances in all competitions, before his hamstring tear in the 5-1 win over Crystal Palace in December, still has him three clear of any other player.
Even in the context of Arsenal's struggles in the opening months of the campaign, Saka was posting the best numbers of his career. His average of 1.08 goal involvements per 90 minutes puts him behind only Mohamed Salah among Premier League players this season.
The statistics are a reminder of how much Arsenal have missed him - and how much they stand to gain as, three months on, the 23-year-old closes in on a return to action.
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Saka's injury a turning point?
Saka is not the only Arsenal attacker to have been sidelined this season. Martin Odegaard missed three months with an ankle problem suffered in September. Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz had their campaigns ended by knee injuries in January and February. Gabriel Martinelli has only just returned from a hamstring issue.
Cumulatively, the injuries took a heavy toll. But there is no doubting Saka's was the most impactful. On the night he pulled up against Palace at Selhurst Park, Arsenal had narrowed the gap to Liverpool to three points. It has widened to 12 points since.
Saka had scored or set up 40 per cent of Arsenal's goals at the time of his injury. His output was at its highest under Mikel Arteta, continuing a pattern of year-on-year improvement and underlining his huge influence on an attack built to maximise his threat.
Arteta has a core of key players but the ever-improving Saka is surely top of the list.
Since Arteta's first game in charge, in December 2019, Saka has made more Premier League appearances, scored more goals and provided more assists than any other Arsenal player.
He also ranks top among his team-mates for shots and chances created in that timeframe. He is their main goal threat, having developed a ruthless edge when cutting inside from the right, but also their main creator, providing a consistent stream of opportunities from both open play and set-piece situations.
Arsenal's output declined on both fronts without him, perhaps most notably from dead balls. Without Saka's outstanding delivery from corners, for example, they went two months without scoring from one before Mikel Merino's winner against Chelsea in their last game.
His return is not a fix-all solution to their issues this season, of course. It probably comes too late to rescue their title challenge given the size of the gap to the top. But his injury was the biggest blow to their chances. His return, by the same token, holds the key to their hopes of finishing strongly.
Slotting back in on the right?
Of course, much will depend on how quickly Saka can rediscover his form. His injury came after four straight seasons of featuring in almost every game. His three-month absence has put him - and Arsenal - on unfamiliar ground.
He has never previously missed more than a few weeks, so it is hard to predict the speed at which he will regain sharpness, although Arteta clearly feels he is ready for a swift return to action.
"Bukayo is ready to go," he said ahead of Tuesday's meeting with Fulham at the Emirates Stadium. "The careful things are already done, so now it's about putting him on the grass in the right moments, but he is pushing because he really wants it.
"We have respected the time-frame, we have done everything. We had to hold him back even, so now he is ready to go."
It remains to be seen whether Arteta throws him straight back into his starting line-up but what seems certain is that, when he does return, it will be to his usual role on the right of Arsenal's attack.
Saka was used by Arteta as a left-back in his early months in charge and continued to feature on the left flank in the 2020/21 campaign. Since then, though, he has become a fixture on the right.
Arteta said in December, before Saka's injury, that he was "very open" to the idea of moving him inside in the future. But given his proven effectiveness in his usual position, and with Merino growing into the role of playing at No 9, his immediate future surely lies on the right.
What now for Nwaneri?
His return will have a direct impact on Ethan Nwaneri, whose eye-catching breakthrough this season, usually when playing in Saka's spot on the right-hand side, has left supporters wondering how Arsenal can go about fitting the pair into the same starting line-up.
Recent evidence suggests the Arsenal boss will need to find a solution in the not-too-distant future. The 18-year-old has scored eight goals, four of which have come during Saka's time on the sidelines, making him Arsenal's third-highest scorer this season and underlining his effectiveness.
His average of 0.66 goals per 90 minutes is actually the highest of any Arsenal player. He has shown his clinical edge internationally too, scoring on his full England U21 debut against Portugal.
His breakthrough has delighted everyone at Arsenal but Arteta admits Nwaneri has played far more minutes than planned this season due to their injury problems. On the one hand, the increased playing time has accelerated his development. On the other, there is the risk of over-exposure.
Nwaneri has shown he is ready to step up but, having only turned 18 last week, his minutes still need to be managed as he adapts to the physical and mental demands of top-level football. For now, it might not be a bad thing to use him more as a substitute than a starter.
Nwaneri can, though, provide a much-needed rotation option for Saka, to ensure he is not overburdened following his injury, while Arteta can also use him in central positions.
Nwaneri was deployed as a right-sided midfielder in the Carabao Cup earlier this season. Arteta has also said he could play on the left side of midfield, and even feels he could develop into a No 9. His versatility opens up more routes into the team.
Of course, Nwaneri is not the only one who has been used on the right wing in Saka's absence either. Martinelli performed well there against Chelsea before the international break. Raheem Sterling had his best game for Arsenal in the position in Champions League last-16 second leg against PSV Eindhoven.
Sterling, though, has a lot more work to do to earn a starting spot, while Martinelli is a more natural fit on the left flank, where he can reclaim his place from Leandro Trossard.
The competition for places should be welcomed. Nwaneri's emergence in Saka's absence provides another high-calibre option.
Why Odegaard needs Saka
While some may have to make room for Saka in the team, others will hope to benefit from his return. Odegaard has not looked his usual self this season, contributing only two goals and four assists in 21 Premier League games. The absence of Saka has been a factor.
The understanding between the pair on Arsenal's right flank has become a crucial asset but injuries mean they have only started 12 out of 45 games together in all competitions this season.
It is telling that Arsenal are unbeaten in those 12 games, with a win rate of 67 per cent compared to 55 per cent in games with one or both missing from the starting line-up.
The presence of Saka is not the only consideration in assessing Odegaard's form, of course, but it is certainly a big one. The statistics underline the strength of their connection on the pitch.
The graphic below breaks down all chances created for both Saka and Odegaard since the latter's permanent arrival at Arsenal from Real Madrid at the start of the 2021/22 season.
Odegaard has created 46 chances for Saka in the Premier League in that timeframe, considerably more than the next-highest player, Martinelli, who has created 32 chances for Saka.
Interestingly, though, the data shows an even bigger gulf in reverse. Saka's total of 74 chances created for Odegaard is nearly three times as high as anyone else's, with Martinelli next on 29.
Odegaard is commonly thought of as being the playmaker of the two. In fact, he is serviced by Saka far more than he serves him. It helps to explain his dip in form without Saka alongside him.
Saka's chemistry with White
Odegaard is not the only player with whom Saka has a strong understanding. Ben White has also been a crucial component of Arsenal's right-sided potency in recent years but injury has blighted his season too. His recent start in the 2-2 draw with PSV Eindhoven was his first since November.
When I look up, I know what he's going to be doing or where he's going to be
Jurrien Timber has filled in impressively in his absence, helping to ensure Arsenal have maintained defensive solidity amid their attacking struggles. He has contributed in the final third too, most recently in the form of a goal against PSV and an assist in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
He does not, though, have the same level of chemistry with Saka as White, who described a near-telepathic understanding between the pair in conversation with Sky Sports in October 2023.
"He makes it so much easier than it should be," said White. "We just kind of know. I don't really understand why, but, when I look up, I know what he's going to be doing or where he's going to be."
For White, it is not just about finding Saka but how he finds him.
A key feature of their relationship on the pitch is that Saka almost always receives White's passes while in motion, most commonly darting infield from the right flank, rather than from a standing start with his back to goal. It is a small but crucial detail.
"That's all to do with his timing," added White. "When I get the ball, he's always on the move. It gives him the chance to attack without even needing to take a good touch. It doesn't matter because he's going to be in front and away from the defender already."
Saka's combination play with White is just another way in which his comeback can help Arsenal. He returns as their main source of goals and assists, a scorer and a creator to rival the very best in the Premier League, and the player around whom Arteta's side revolves.
