Bukayo Saka injury: Arsenal forward back in training to ease World Cup fears

Arsenal were handed a further boost with Oleksandr Zinchenko and Mohamed Elneny also returning to training

Mark Mann-Bryans
Wednesday 02 November 2022 10:54 EDT
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(Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Bukayo Saka allayed fears he could miss the World Cup through injury as he trained with his Arsenal team-mates on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old was forced off during Sunday’s 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest, lasting just 27 minutes after taking a kick to the ankle.

He limped off with just over three weeks until England open their World Cup campaign against Iran, with concerns he could miss out on the plane to Qatar.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said after the Forest win that he was “hopeful” Saka would be fine for the World Cup, adding: “It was a bad kick. Right from the beginning he was limping, but I don’t see any further than that. Let’s see how he is in the next couple of days.”

Saka then trained at Arsenal’s London Colney base as the squad prepared for Thursday’s Europa League clash with FC Zurich at the Emirates Stadium.

Oleksandr Zinchenko and Mohamed Elneny also returned to training, handing Arsenal a further boost ahead of the London derby against Chelsea on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.

Arteta’s side just need to equal the result of PSV Eindhoven – who face Bodo/Glimt – to ensure they qualify as winners of Group A and receive a bye into the last 16.

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