Mikel Arteta explains how Arsenal star Bukayo Saka keeps avoiding injury

Mikel Arteta has hailed Bukayo Saka’s determination and intelligence with the Arsenal star set to defy the odds and play today despite injury concerns.

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Arsenal take on Bournemouth on Saturday as they look to maintain their unbeaten start to the season and close the gap to leaders Manchester City.

Given his abilities, Saka is practically undroppable and has now played in 86 consecutive Premier League matches – a club record – starting this campaign with three goals and two assists so far.

However, it looked as if that run would come to an end, after the winger limped off during last Sunday’s North London Derby, with Arteta revealing on Friday morning that the England star – alongside three others – haven’t trained at all.

But it transpired later that evening that Saka and co. have indeed travelled with the rest of the squad to Bournemouth and is expected to start at the Vitality.

Given his young age and the amount of fouls he receives – over 70 since the start of last season – it is a wonder how the 22-year-old is able to play so often.

‘I think I talked about it over a year ago, it’s his mentality. If you want to be the player that he wants to be, you need to have that mindset that you want to play every single minute,’ Arteta said on the matter in his pre-match press conference.

‘You prepare yourself to play every single minute at your best. Don’t just be there but make a contribution to a team to win games and that’s changed in him; the way he prepares himself, the way he’s always talking to people, the way he sets demands on himself.

‘The support is good around him. He’s got a lot of ingredients, who knows how long that run can go. We have to protect him, that’s for sure. And we have to make sure that we understand when is the right moment to give him that.

‘But there is something within that is growing and that’s a really important part of his game.

‘I think with experience he’s recognising those situations much better and he’s exposing his body much less in the previous seconds before the action actually happens. That’s something that he’s doing, that we’re working on and it will protect his physique, that’s for sure.

‘Just understanding that it’s not a coincidence. And sometimes, as well, your teammates play you, I call them, hospital balls. So they give you a ball that can take you directly to hospital.

‘So don’t play those balls in unnecessary moments. Sometimes it’s the problem of the player who gives the ball. Sometimes it’s the previous movement and your lack of activity in the previous seconds that expose you in that position.’

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