Huge Carabao Cup boost for Newcastle United as dates for semi-final games confirmed
ARSENAL have been rocked by a major injury blow ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle United, with Bukayo Saka set to miss the first leg of the game.
And with Saka having suffered a hamstring injury that Mikel Arteta expects to sideline him for "many weeks", the England international could also still be unavailable for the second leg at St James' Park in February.
Saka suffered a hamstring injury in Arsenal’s 5-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Asked about the 23-year-old England international’s condition at his press conference earlier today, Arteta said: “It is not looking good. He will be out for many weeks.”
Saka was filmed leaving Selhurst Park on crutches, souring what had been a comprehensive second win over the Eagles in four days after Gabriel Jesus’ hat-trick secured Arsenal’s passage to the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
Arteta said after Saturday’s match: “He felt something in his hamstring. He couldn’t continue. He will have to be assessed, so I’m pretty worried about that one.
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“It’s very difficult to (give a prognosis) now. They have tested him inside but it’s very difficult to say how bad it is.
“We lost Raheem (Sterling) yesterday (Friday), we don’t know for how long as well, so to lose two players in 24 hours is not good.
“Unfortunately with the amount of games that we are playing, every three days with this schedule, it doesn’t surprise me, but the team will react to that.”
Meanwhile, the dates for the two legs of the semi-final have now been confirmed.
Newcastle will travel to Emirates for the first leg of the last-four clash on Tuesday, January 7 (8pm).
The return game will then take place at St James' Park on Wednesday, February 5 (8pm).
