Chris Sutton expects Arsenal to be ‘stretched’ as Mikel Arteta manages a raft of injury issues – including for Bukayo Saka – as the Gunners head down to AFC Bournemouth.

The treatment room at London Colney has been a hive of activity this week as Arsenal strive to regain numbers. Arteta admitted on Friday morning that Saka had not trained all week as he recovered from Injury. Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard also had not.

Arteta was without the quartet as Arsenal beat Brentford in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday due to various problems. Saka took a heavy knock to his foot during the north London derby last Sunday. While Rice aggravated a back injury in the first half against Tottenham Hotspur.

Sutton predicts a ‘stretched’ Arsenal side to win at Bournemouth

Arsenal had already lost Trossard to a hamstring injury before hosting their fierce local rivals at Emirates Stadium. The Belgian joined Martinelli with a hamstring injury after the Brazilian sustained his blow at Everton. Arteta’s problems may even have worsened at Brentford, too.

Now, Sutton expects Arteta’s team will be ‘stretched’ when Arsenal visit Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday. But he still expects the Gunners to edge out a 1-0 win over the Cherries. Bournemouth have only beaten Arsenal once in a 2-1 home win in January 2018.

“I am still not convinced by Bournemouth,” Sutton admitted in his column for BBC Sport. “A new coach has come in, Andoni Iraola, but have they improved from last season under Gary O’Neil? I am not so sure they have.

“Arsenal have a few injury concerns at the moment, including Bukayo Saka. Their squad will be stretched for this game but I still think they will find a way through and squeak a victory.”

Saka is just one of several injury concerns for the Gunners

During a brilliant display at Brentford, Emile Smith Rowe also became Arsenal’s latest player to develop an injury. Arteta had afforded the midfielder his first start since May 2022 in the 1-0 Carabao Cup win. But Arteta could not allow the 23-year-old to play the full 90 minutes.

Possibly worse, however, was the absence of William Saliba at Brentford after he developed an injury ahead of the tie. The centre-half had played in the north London derby and was to be rested in midweek. But Arteta admitted on Friday that Saliba was also managing a knock.

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