Bukayo Saka is facing a race against time to be fit for Arsenal’s Premier League game against Manchester City, which has added to England manager Gareth Southgate’s injury headache.
Saka is rated a major doubt for the visit of City to the Emirates on Sunday after being forced off in Arsenal’s Champions League defeat by Lens.
Arsenal were on Wednesday working to establish the severity of a suspected hamstring strain that Saka suffered and the risk involved in trying to rush him back as quickly as possible.
Even if the injury is not serious, Saka – who has also been playing with a thigh issue – is struggling to be fit in time for the City game, which also makes him a doubt for England.
Southgate names his England squad on Thursday for the friendly against Australia on Oct 13 and the European Championship qualifier against Italy on Oct 17 and already has a number of issues.
He is without left-backs Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell, while Eberechi Eze is injured and Callum Wilson has been missing with a hamstring issue, although the striker returned to Newcastle United training this week.
Wilson’s Newcastle team-mate Anthony Gordon is hoping he may have done enough to win a senior call-up, while Mason Mount has returned to full fitness with Manchester United and James Ward-Prowse and Jarrod Bowen have been in excellent form for West Ham United.
Jack Grealish withdrew from Southgate’s last squad because of injury but he is now fit again, as is Trent Alexander-Arnold, who missed the Ukraine and Scotland games.
The availability of Alexander-Arnold could give Southgate another chance to look at him in midfield, alongside Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice.
Raheem Sterling has not played for England since the World Cup and was left out of Southgate’s last squad, and started Chelsea’s victory over Fulham on Monday on the substitutes’ bench.
There has been no indication from Southgate that he is poised to recall Sterling to his latest squad, even if Saka joins Eze on the England injury list.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who Southgate watched score a hat-trick against Brighton, is hoping for an England recall, while defender Ezri Konsa has also been in good form.
