Bukayo Saka injury sparks fears for Arsenal after early exit from England match

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka was substituted for England due to injury immediately after the Three Lions went down at home to Greece in their Nations League meeting on Thursday.

Bukayo Saka staggered away following England’s crushing defeat to Greece, leaving Arsenal concerned about the harm he may have caused.

Saka, 23, started Thursday’s 2-1 Nations League loss at Wembley as part of interim boss Lee Carsley’s attacking lineup. After an uninspiring first half, Greece seized the lead on 49 minutes, delivering a double punch.

Saka fell down hurt after missing a challenge on Vangelis Pavlidis, who scored the goal. The Arsenal star was ultimately unable to continue and was replaced by Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

Saka had a forgettable night at Wembley Stadium, receiving a yellow card just before halftime for a nasty challenge on Greece’s Giorgos Masouras. The 23-year-old has started every game for his club and nation this season, and he has seven assists and two goals in the Premier League so far.But he couldn’t replicate his Arsenal heroics for England, who nearly fell under 1-0 in the opening few minutes when goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was caught off his line. Fortunately, Three Lions centre-back Levi Colwill was alert and rushed back to make a spectacular goal-line clearing.

Greece briefly thought they had scored again after Pavlidis of Benfica scored the first goal. Olympiacos winger Masouras struck cleanly past Pickford, but Pavlidis was found to have been offside in the build-up, and the goal was immediately disallowed, just as they had with their one chance in the first half.

Substitute Ollie Watkins had a good chance to punish Greece seconds later, but he blasted it over Newcastle goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos. With 20 minutes remaining, the Greeks continued to press for a second goal, troubling England, and Carsley couldn’t rely on Saka to deliver.

As the Three Lions pressed for an equalizer, Jude Bellingham stepped up to make it 1-1 with two minutes of normal time remaining. But Greece had the last laugh, as Pavlidis finished after a scramble in the 94th minute, handing England their first competitive defeat at Wembley in four years.Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be concerned by Saka’s injury, as the Gunners face Bournemouth next Saturday in the Premier League. Arsenal will then host Shakhtar Donetsk for a Champions League match at the Emirates before facing probable championship rivals Liverpool.

Arteta’s team concludes October with a trip to Preston North End in the Carabao Cup fourth round, when their squad depth will be challenged. Captain Martin Odegaard has missed Arsenal’s last seven games due to an injury sustained during the previous international break in September, and he is yet to return to training.