Bukayo Saka Arsenal injury warning hands Mikel Arteta unavoidable PSG Champions League nightmare

Mikel Arteta eventually rotated his Arsenal team so much that even Raheem Sterling got a game. Nathan Butler-Oyedeji also came on. Both Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber were left unused.

With a delicate balancing act to play in the next 10 days, Arteta chose to stick with the core of his best XI - including David Raya, William Saliba, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli, as well as Mikel Merino back in midfield. After half an hour of an eventual 4-0 win over Ipswich Town, it had nearly backfired.

It is strange to suggest that an XI which scored twice inside 28 minutes could be wrong in any way. However, that is the way in which Arsenal's next two weeks might play out.

Already 2-0 up and cruising against a team on the brink of returning straight back to the Championship, Leif Davis' tackle on Saka could have changed the course of the final month of Arsenal's season. The challenge, which earned Davis a red card, was everything Arteta hoped to avoid.

In trying to keep his players sharp ahead of the upcoming Champions League semi-final first-leg against Paris Saint-Germain, Arteta went strong and chose to make changes in the second half, rather than working the other way round. Saka and Merino lasted less than an hour with Rice and Martinelli going off 15 minutes later. Odegaard got a full game.

Restricted by injuries across his squad - with three already ruled out for the remainder of the season and Kai Havertz looking at an extremely hopeful, optimistic, and doubtful return for the Champions League final if Arsenal get there - Arteta does not have much room for experimenting. Instead, he is essentially forced to risk some players in games that carry little benefit.

There are numerous strands to this. On the one hand, Arsenal have extra time to prepare for PSG after their next Premier League match, at home to Crystal Palace, was moved to Wednesday evening due to FA Cup semi-final scheduling. That allows for more rest and recovery.

With this in mind, Arteta does not have to worry too much about fatigue with a week to prepare for the first leg in Europe. Given that all focus is on PSG, though, there are debates to be had over whether the main XI should be anywhere near the pitch in the meantime.

Had Saka been truly hurt and then an injury concern for PSG then hindsight would have said that playing him was foolish. Injuries can happen at any time, no matter how many precautions are taken, though.

Is it worth living in fear for this week before PSG or do the minutes in the legs of players help keep them sharp? Which one holds more weight? Saka has gotten up to speed incredibly well since coming back from his hamstring problem

These are all questions that Arteta will have to answer and has already, it seems, found a stance. "We have to somehow put 11 players out there and have four or five changes, so let's see how they recover in the next few days," he said of the juggling act between Palace, Ipswich, and PSG.

"The good thing is they are willing to play because they like the rhythm as well. We are so used to that rhythm every three days that the boys are demanding and then we don't have a game at the weekend, so we have a gap there, so let's see how we get on on Wednesday."

Seeing Saka on the floor at Portman Road and then replays of Davis' studs racking down onto his ankle, bending it the wrong way, will have been Arteta's worst nightmare. Any niggle, knock, or slight issue between now and PSG is of enhanced jeopardy.

That cannot be avoided. Arsenal will need to put out teams with key players in when they face Palace this week and also Bournemouth ahead of the second leg. Arteta can rotate but does not have much in terms of depth. Especially at centre-back and in midfield, there are always going to be players exposed.

When it comes to the untouchables - Saka, Saliba, Odegaard, and Rice - maybe the process will be different. Arsenal must find a way to protect them as much as possible. That is easier said than done, though. It is a tough situation to be in but one that could make or break the semi-finals.

Join the football.london Arsenal WhatsApp channel

Join our Arsenal WhatsApp channel and get all the latest breaking news, opinion, podcasts and in-depth stories from football.london's dedicated Arsenal writers straight to your phone!

By following this free service you will be the first to know the news from the Emirates Stadium as it happens, when it happens.

To join our dedicated Arsenal channel, all you have to do is click this link and you can join thousands of others following our Gunners coverage!

If you're curious, you can check out our privacy policy here.