Former Arsenal winger Freddie Ljungberg has urged manager Mikel Arteta to rest Bukayo Saka, who he described as the club’s ‘most important player.’
Ljungberg said this while expressing his worries about an Arsenal side lining up against Manchester City in a Premier League tie this weekend without Saka.
Saka has been nursing an injury for a month but has hardly been given any form of a break by Arteta.
The England international surprisingly stretched his run of consecutive Premier League starts to an astonishing 87 matches last weekend as they defeated Bournemouth 4-0.
However, the 22-year-old was forced off early with another knock during the encounter.
He was surprisingly selected to start for Arsenal against Lens in Tuesday’s Champions League 2-1 defeat against the French Ligue 1 side.
But the decision backfired after Saka was forced off in the 34th minute during the match.
“Looking at this makes all the Arsenal fans a little bit worried. He was touching the back of his hamstring,” Ljungberg told CBS Sports.
“I have been a little bit like rest him a little bit. I felt he played a bit too much. He’s still young, and you say they can run as much as they can when they are young.
“Rest him! He’s the most important player, give him a break sometimes. I’m a bit worried for Arsenal at the weekend and how they are going to play without him.”