Saka posts update after surgery on hamstring injury.

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has posted on Instagram after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta provided an update after the 1-0 home win over Ipswich Town on Friday night, Arsenal‘s first match since their winger was sidelined, saying he expects Saka to be out of action for “more than two months” with the hamstring injury sustained by the England international at Crystal Palace on 21 December.

“He had a procedure, everything went well,” said Arteta, as quoted on Arsenal’s official website, “but unfortunately he will be out for many, many weeks.

“I said many weeks, so I think it will be more than two months. I don’t know exactly how much longer.

“I think it will depend, you know, on how the scar tissue starts to heal in the first week or so. Let’s see. It’s very difficult to say.”

How Saka was replaced against Ipswich

Arteta’s two changes to his starting line-up from the Palace match were Leandro Trossard coming into the attack on the left flank, and Declan Rice playing instead of Thomas Partey in midfield.

The Gunners’ adaptation included Gabriel Martinelli switching from the left to play in Saka’s usual role on the right wing.

Arteta’s tactics paid off as early as the 23rd minute as Martinelli’s cross found its way to Trossard, who beat his man to cross for Kai Havertz to score. But with further goals against 19th-placed Ipswich proving elusive, Arteta admitted his team – who are now up to second place – are still adjusting to playing without Saka.

“As I’ve said, I think the replacement of Bukayo is going to be the team, and that [attacking] unit in particular,” said Arteta.

“There were moments when it flowed really well. There were moments where we still have some work to do to improve it and to adapt to the qualities of the individuals. And I’m certain that we’re going to do that.”

When asked what Martinelli, who is naturally right-footed, needs to do to be successful on the right instead of the left, Arteta replied: “Gabby needs people around him. He needs [to be a] constant threat.

“He needs to be always in the last line when the ball is on his side, and [needs] people close to him because he’s very intuitive. I think that if you’re isolating [him] too much, you’re going to suffer, especially playing with a natural foot on the right. These are things that we can evolve and improve.”

Sterling lift

In other injury news, Arteta said Raheem Sterling could return sooner than was initially expected after the forward on loan from Chelsea had injured a knee.

“We expect the knee injury to probably take longer than actually the way the knee is evolving in the last few days. Hopefully that’s good because we need him,” Arteta said.

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