Izuchukwu OkosiArsenal manager Mikel Arteta has calmed frayed nerves on the injury state of his influential forward Bukayo Saka following his worrying pains Monday night.
The Anglo-Nigerian was substituted off in the 75th minute after what looked like a bad injury in their 3rd round FA Cup 3-0 win against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.
Saka joined Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli as the key figures in this season’s Premier League title challenge starting against Oxford.
There was even more worry when Arteta kept the no 7 on the pitch after Mohamed Elneny and Eddie Nketiah fired the visitors into a 2-0 lead after 70 minutes.
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And many supporters’ fears were realised in the 75th minute when Saka was forced off for the returning Emile Smith Rowe after receiving treatment for a painful-looking leg injury.
In his post match news conference, Arteta eased fears, claiming the England international was in good shape for the Tottenham clash this weekend. He told ITV Sport: “Yeah, he’s fine. He’ll be okay.”
After Sunday’s NDL, the Gunners host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium, with a highly-anticipated Premier League encounter against Man City also on the horizon.
Arteta’s side will face his former mentor Pep Guardiola again in the coming weeks, with their win in Oxford setting up a fourth-round trip to the Etihad Stadium in the weekend of Saturday, January 28.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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