Bukayo Saka’s injury ‘makes me a better manager’, Arteta says.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said losing Bukayo Saka to injury will make him a better coach.

The England winger faces “many weeks” on the sidelines after tearing his hamstring during Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.

Saka’s injury comes a month after captain Martin Odegaard returned after missing 12 matches due to an ankle problem.

Raheem Sterling, Saka’s natural replacement, will also be absent for a period of time after suffering a knee injury during training.

💬 “If you don’t take a chance, or if you don’t want to take a risk, you are limiting yourself.”

Bukayo talks about his football philosophy, and the sacrifices he made to make him the star he is 👇

– Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 25, 2024

But when asked if his latest managerial test would turn him into a better manager, Arteta said: “I think so, yes. We started the season with one of the weakest teams in the Premier League, and we knew that.

“If we have a thinner squad, what do we need? We’ve put a lot of thought into that to make sure we’re making the best possible use of every player, and everyone should feel part of that.

“You need to rediscover players in different positions, different relationships. It’s really good training and the boys are willing to do anything we ask them to do, so that’s a really good thing too.”

The pressures on players are under the microscope, with Manchester City midfielder Rodri out for the rest of the season, and he is just one of the big names to be injured this year.

Arteta added: “It (the fixture list) is unsustainable unless we can find ways to physically transform players into monsters who can handle anything.”

“The fact that you are training and recovering, that is not a good pattern because the body needs training, the muscles need training. If you are just playing and recovering, you start to lose a lot of factors in your body that are essential for physical performance.

“Not just to play so you don’t get injured, but to become a better athlete, which is a completely different thing, and to continue to develop as an athlete.

“I hope the players are listened to but whoever is in charge, can they do something now with the commitments already in place for the next three or four seasons? It is very difficult and very difficult.”