The England star pulled up whilst participating in a training exercise with his team-mates and appeared to clutch his groin before making his way down the tunnel at Elland Road, escorted by a member of the medical staff. Noni Madueke stepped into Arteta’s starting XI in Saka’s place, whilst Christian Norgaard was brought into the matchday squad and took a spot amongst the substitutes.
When questioned about the situation, Arteta characterised Saka’s problem as a minor complaint. The Spanish boss acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the matter, though.
“We don’t know yet,” Arteta told Match of the Day. “He had a little niggle in the warm-up.”
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Arteta added: “He had a little niggle and he wasn’t comfortable to start the game, so we made a decision straight away and now we are going to have to do some tests tomorrow and see how he is.”
Madueke expressed satisfaction with his team’s display and remained composed despite his late inclusion in the starting lineup for Saka. “We’re professional so we are prepared,” he said.
“Happy that we got the win. I appreciate the supporters, it means a lot that they come so far from home. We heard them the whole 90 minutes, they were top today.
“We have been fighting on all four fronts since the start of the season. It goes without saying that everyone is ready when called upon. Every few days you have to be ready to perform. It is about staying locked in and in the zone.”
Declan Rice was delighted also, saying: “Off the back of the last three performances, we knew how big today was. To win 4-0 is a massive win for us. We can control what we can control and we have to keep winning games and keep pushing. What will be will be.
“So far we are top in the Premier League and won eight out of eight in the Champions League. We can’t complain about where we are. We are in a really strong position, we know as players we have a really good squad.
“Every game is a cup final. We have a long four months ahead but we are prepared. Let’s keep going and give it a good go.”