Arsenal’s hard-fought victory over Ipswich was overshadowed by manager Mikel Arteta’s announcement that Bukayo Saka has undergone a “procedure” on his injured hamstring and is expected to be sidelined for more than two months. Saka sustained the injury during last weekend’s 5-1 win against Crystal Palace, with reports indicating he could be out until March.

When asked about Saka’s recovery, Arteta confirmed, “I would prefer to leave that with the doctor, but I can confirm he had a procedure and will be out for many, many weeks. I think it will be more than two months; I don’t know exactly how much.”

Despite the victory, Arsenal struggled to find their rhythm at the Emirates, with Kai Havertz’s first-half goal being the only highlight of their dominance. Arteta expressed frustration over his team’s inability to secure a more comfortable win, saying, “Very happy with the victory, the clean sheet, and big parts of the game. It was a really difficult opposition. We had some big openings in the second half when we were being more aggressive. We should have scored more.”

Matchwinner Havertz acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating that the team must step up in Saka’s absence. “Everyone has to step up because we know Bukayo Saka is a very important player for us. But we have to adapt. I try to help the team; it was a different role for me today,” he told Amazon Prime.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna expressed disappointment that his side couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities in the second half. “We grew into the game well and turned a bit of momentum at the end of the first half. There were a few situations late in the game where we could have shown more belief, but we were too hesitant,” he said.