Arsenal hint sparks major injury worry ahead of Crystal Palace clash

Bukayo Saka's participation in Arsenal's clash with Crystal Palace is now the subject of speculation, as the star was absent from a selection of training photos shared by the club.

The Gunners took to X to share a range of snaps from the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Saturday afternoon, as the north London club put the final touches on their preparations for a Premier League encounter with the Eagles.

While the likes of Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi were all-smiles during the session, fans quickly noticed that no pictures of Saka were included in the carousel. One wrote: "No Saka?" while another added: "I can't find Saka."

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The winger played the full 90 minutes during Arsenal's Champions League fixture with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, in which, the side ran out 4-0 winners thanks to goals from Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and a brace from Viktor Gyokeres.

And while Gabriel picked up a knock during the match, with Mikel Arteta speaking about his situation headed into Sunday's match, nothing has been said on Saka. Speaking at a press conference on Friday with regards to injuries, the Spaniard said: "Not much.

"Obviously big Gabi had to leave the pitch with an issue, and he hasn't been able to train yet, so let’s see how he evolves in the next 24 hours - whether he's available or not for the weekend."

It comes as the Gunners will be without a number of key players when they play host to Palace. Martin Odegaard is not expected to feature for the club until after the November international break as a result of a knee injury.

It's a similar expectation for Kai Havertz, who is also recovering from an injured knee of his own. Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus have also been ruled out against Palace, with the latter not expected to return to the field until the New Year.

Saka has already missed a number of games for Arsenal this season as a result of a hamstring injury. The 24-year-old missed his side's fixture with Liverpool at the end of August, as well as matches against Athletic Club and Nottingham Forest in September.

And while no confirmation has come with regards to his availability to play, his absence would be a major blow given how influential he has been on the pitch this term.

Oliver Glasner also heads into the game with an injury list of his own to navigate, despite the south London club's successes this season. Cheick Doucoure, Caleb Kporha and Chadi Riad all remain as long-term absentees and will miss the match as a result.

Arsenal will hope to retain their Premier League top spot during the fixture, currently two points clear of second-place Sunderland - who climbed the rankings with a late 2-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday afternoon.

Palace, meanwhile, occupy the ninth spot on the table at present, courtesy of three wins, four draws and a single loss from their opening eight.