Arsenal fans have been eagerly awaiting the return of their attacking talisman, Bukayo Saka. The 23-year-old has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since December but is now closing in on a return to full fitness. Multiple reports indicate that Saka has returned to full training and is on the cusp of making his much-anticipated comeback for Arsenal.
Saka limped off clutching his hamstring against Crystal Palace in December, marking an unprecedented absence from the field. Prior to this injury, he had never missed more than ten games in a single season. However, this time around, he has been sidelined for the past 20 Arsenal fixtures - an absence which stretched beyond 100 consecutive days.
The good news for Gunners fans is that this lengthy hiatus could be concluded as soon as Tuesday night. Saka posted a picture of himself back in training on Thursday with the caption: "Hello again". BBC Sport reported that Arsenal's star winger could be included in the matchday squad for a Premier League home game against Fulham on Tuesday, 1 April.
Upcoming challenges
Following their match against Fulham, Arsenal will travel to Everton's Merseyside stadium for one last time on Saturday (5 April). The real test awaits them when they host Real Madrid in the first leg of a highly anticipated Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday, 8 April. According to Fabrizio Romano’s claim, Saka will be "ready" to face off against these Spanish giants.
Mikel Arteta's side have undoubtedly struggled without their star player. When Saka was forced off before Christmas during their match against Palace, Arsenal were six points adrift of league-leading Liverpool and strongly placed in both domestic cup competitions and Champions League phase one.
However, the subsequent three months without Saka saw Arsenal dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle United and suffer a similar fate in the FA Cup at Manchester United's hands. The gap to Liverpool has now widened to an effectively insurmountable 12 points, leaving Europe's premier club competition as their only remaining hope.
Ray of hope
Despite injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz further complicating Arsenal's plight in Saka's absence, there is a ray of hope. Gabriel Martinelli is fit once again and could soon be joined by Bukayo Saka - a player whose presence on the field has been sorely missed by both his teammates and fans alike.
Bukayo Saka’s return could potentially provide a much-needed boost for Arsenal as they face challenging matches ahead. His comeback not only brings back his skills on the field but also renews hopes for Gunners fans worldwide.
