Bukayo Saka needs protecting - before it's too late

Quite how Bukayo Saka managed to get through the 90 minutes at Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon is anyone’s guess. There were several occasions when it looked like he would have to go off due to an ankle injury, especially during the early stages of the second half when he was clearly struggling to put any weight on his foot.

But he managed to keep going, which says more about Saka’s durability and bravery than anything else.

It’s also a clear sign that the 21-year-old is now getting used to having to strap himself up and play through the pain barrier every week in a bid to help Mikel Arteta’s side continue their title charge.

And that is no surprise given the weekly battering that Saka has to endure every time he takes to the pitch in an Arsenal shirt. The fact that he has managed to escape a serious injury up to this point is more down to luck than anything else. 

But it feels like only a matter of time before that injury arrives...