An injury expert has given his opinion on how long Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard could be out after being forced off during Arsenal’s impressive 5-0 victory against Leeds United.
Jurrien Timber and Viktor Gyokeres each scored twice to help the Gunners win their second consecutive Premier League match of the 2025-26 season. Arsenal’s other goal came from Saka, who was replaced in the second half with what appeared to be a problem with his left hamstring.
Odegaard, the club captain, had already been substituted due to injury by this point. The Norwegian midfielder initially played on after suffering a shoulder injury in the first half, but was replaced by Ethan Nwaneri in the 38th minute.
“Martin felt something in his shoulder when he landed,” Arteta explained following the match. “While carrying the ball, Bukayo felt something in his hamstring. I believe it is the other one, which is different from the previous injury.
“He felt something sprinting, which is never a good sign.” We need to meet with the doctors [on Sunday]. Let us wait.
How long Odegaard and Saka could be out for
Arsenal fans are urgently waiting for good news about the two injured players. However, both players are now huge doubts for next weekend’s Premier League match against champions Liverpool.
Fans on X quickly demanded a verdict from injury specialist Physio Scout. After examining the clip, let us take a deeper look at the early prognosis.
Martin Odegaard’s Injury
“Martin Odegaard had to leave Arsenal’s game against Leeds early in the first half due to a right shoulder injury.” Direct shoulder contact with the ground, with the arm at his side, indicates an AC joint sprain/injury. Another option is a broken collarbone, which is less common in this case.
Expected Recovery Time:
Low-grade sprain of the AC joint
Grade 2/3 sprain takes 2-4 weeks.
“If it is proven that it is a minor sprain, a rapid return can be arranged. Typically, it is a pain management issue, which means he could miss a week or two.
“If it’s a grade two or three, that’s another issue. However, he would only miss 2-4 weeks. “Scans to confirm.”
Bukayo Saka injury
Unfortunately, Saka is expected to be out of action for an extended period. In a separate tweet, Physio Scout added: “Bukayo Saka was forced off in the first half with a left hamstring injury sustained during a sprint and pass.” He appeared frustrated, and the mechanism indicated more of a strain than just tightness.
Expected Recovery Time:
Grade 1: 2–4 weeks
Grade 2: 4–6 weeks
Grade 3: 8–12 weeks++
“Based on the incidence, it’s more likely to be a grade 1 or 2 strain, which would leave him out for 2-6 weeks, depending on the scan results. Importantly, this is not the same hamstring that required surgery last year, which provides some comfort.
“As always, the exact diagnosis and timing following a hamstring injury can only be established through scans. Please stay tuned for more updates.”
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