Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has explained why Bukayo Saka was omitted from the starting line-up for the Premier League meeting with Manchester United on Wednesday evening.
The makeshift left-back had to play through the pain barrier in the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on December 29 and was not pictured training with the Arsenal first team ahead of yesterday's clash against the Red Devils.
Arteta had no choice but to name Bosnia defender Sead Kolasinac, who himself is recovering from injury, in the starting XI due to concerns about the fitness of Saka.
Kolasinac put in a fantastic performance - the first 45 minutes in particular- before he was was forced off injured and replaced by Saka in the 69th minute.
Speaking to the BBC post-match, Arteta said : "I said to him, ‘thank you so much’ because today we had Bukayo who wasn’t feeling good.
"He wasn’t ready to play, Kola. He was expecting to start maybe against Leeds or after Leeds and he made an incredible effort yesterday.
"He came to me yesterday and said, ‘boss, if you want me to play, I can play’. We decided to play him and that’s the attitude of the players that I want and he got rewarded.
"He made an effort, he put himself on the line and he had a great performance."
"He wasn’t ready to play, Kola. He was expecting to start maybe against Leeds or after Leeds and he made an incredible effort yesterday.
"He came to me yesterday and said, ‘boss, if you want me to play, I can play’. We decided to play him and that’s the attitude of the players that I want and he got rewarded.
"He made an effort, he put himself on the line and he had a great performance."
Nigerian left-back Tolaji Bola trained with the Gunners first team before the match against Manchester United and a professional debut for the youngster could be on the horizon.
Igho Kingsley
Photo Credit : arsenal.com
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