August 23rd 2025.
Bukayo Saka pulled up with a hamstring injury during Arsenal's victory over Leeds, and former player Ian Wright believes that if Saka is unable to play against Liverpool, Noni Madueke should start on the right flank. The Gunners secured a 5-0 win over the newly promoted team, maintaining their perfect record in their first home game of the Premier League season. Viktor Gyokeres scored two goals, while Jurrien Timber completed his first-ever brace, making it a memorable day for Arsenal. The match also saw the unveiling of Eberechi Eze at the Emirates, to the delight of the fans.
Saka, who had scored his first goal of the season during the game, was forced off the pitch after Martin Odegaard had also left due to a shoulder injury. It was later confirmed by Mikel Arteta that Saka had likely sustained a significant injury to his left hamstring, which was a relief for Wright as the forward had previously undergone surgery on his right hamstring and was sidelined for three months. "It was a relief to know that it was his left hamstring," Wright said on Premier League Productions. "Having an operation on a hamstring injury says that it's very, very serious, so it would have been quite disappointing and sad to hear if it was the same one. But I'm sure at this stage of the season, second game in, obviously he's felt something and he's done the right thing: he's gone down, make sure you can catch it early and hope it's not too serious."
The Gunners will face their toughest test yet next weekend when they travel to Anfield to take on champions Liverpool. Madueke, who came on as a substitute during the game against Manchester United, was given his first competitive start for Arsenal on the left side of the attack. However, Wright believes that if Saka is unavailable, Madueke should switch to the right flank. "This is why the signings are important," he explained. "Madueke can play this side and this is why you bring in a Madueke. I'm not saying he's going to play like Saka, but fill that gap. He plays on that side, that's where he likes to play... fill that gap until Saka comes back because he's got a chance now."
The match against Leeds saw Arsenal display patience, according to Wright, and it ended up being a routine victory for his former club. "If you're trying to win the Premier League, you have to win all of your home games," he said. "Leeds coming here off of a decent win at home to Everton, they came to frustrate, and I think Arsenal had to be patient. Obviously there was the chance that Gyokeres missed early on, which was a little bit worrying, but then once Arsenal got control, got the set-piece going, it just looked run-of-the-mill and it was an easy game in the end."
Gyokeres was relieved to have scored his first goal for Arsenal, having had a difficult debut against Manchester United. Wright saw signs that the Swedish striker was starting to gel with his new teammates. "The first goal that Gyokeres scored there, when the ball went inside to [Riccardo] Calafiori, he didn't even look," he said. "So when that happens now, they know he's going and midfielders will know he's going so they won't even be looking, they'll be looking to put it in there. Those are the things that you're hoping will iron themselves out over the next few weeks as he gets to know the team."
Arsenal's 15-year-old sensation, Max Dowman, made his Premier League debut during the game, coming on as a substitute for Madueke. He then went on to win a penalty for Gyokeres' second goal, becoming the youngest player in Premier League history to do so. "He's been doing that in pre-season and he's not a flash in the pan," Wright said of Dowman. "We've heard about him for many years at Arsenal and we've known he's coming. Obviously in this pre-season he's shown it and he's been electric so he's got his chance and he's a player with a fantastic left foot, great pace, turn of pace, wants to take people on. You look at both of those guys [Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri], they're playing in the first-team now, but if their potential is anything to go by then the future is looking good because they're two exceptional players, making their debuts in and around 15. The promise, the potential, the ceiling for these guys, we don't know where it is, but the fact that they're playing in an Arsenal side that are trying to win everything, at 15, it's phenomenal, it's fantastic."
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
