Saka left the pitch early, Arteta reveals the reason that relieved fans

Coach Mikel Arteta assured that Arsenal had no additional injury concerns following their 2-0 win against Port Vale in the Carabao Cup third round, with Bukayo Saka’s early withdrawal being prearranged.

Arsenal entered the match against Port Vale with nine changes compared to their draw with Man City in the Premier League last weekend. However, Arteta retained some key players, including Bukayo Saka.

Early in the second half, Saka was tackled aggressively by an opponent and remained on the ground for quite some time. After this incident, he was substituted, causing Arsenal fans to worry about a possible injury relapse. However, Arteta quickly clarified after the match: “That was planned beforehand, 60 minutes was the maximum. We had decided in advance to take him off, especially considering the physical load after a long period of continuous matches. The important thing is that no player got injured, no muscle issues occurred, which is a positive sign.”

On the field, Arsenal quickly dominated their League One opponents. Eberechi Eze opened the scoring in the 8th minute with a decisive finish. In the second half, Arsenal temporarily lost control as Port Vale used long balls and tactical throw-ins. But after Arteta’s adjustments, the visitors regained control and sealed the win with a beautiful goal by Leandro Trossard in the 86th minute, assisted skillfully by William Saliba.

This match also marked several important milestones as new signing Kepa Arrizabalaga made his debut in goal and kept a clean sheet; Eberechi Eze scored his first goal for Arsenal; while the young players given chances showed composure on the pitch.

After the match, coach Arteta emphasized that the most important thing in games like this is to show the club’s character and reputation: “We talked before the match, and the top priority was the club’s reputation, the team’s reputation, and each individual’s reputation. These matches are always challenging.”

“We started well, controlled the game, scored, and created more chances. In the second half, we lost control at times due to long balls and throw-ins, but after making adjustments, we regained control and scored a lovely goal to seal the result.”

With this victory, Arsenal officially secured their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round where they will face Brighton and Hove Albion.

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