Arsenal

In today's news conference, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta did not put a timescale on Bukayo Saka's return from injury.

He said: "He’s got another MRI this afternoon because he had quite a lot of fluid in the area so it was difficult to understand the extent of the injury, but we’ll know more probably tomorrow.

"Again, we need a few more scans and opinions from the specialist.

"Obviously when a player has to walk off the pitch, he’s struggling to walk without any pain, he’s restricted to movement, they are not good signs.

"So again, let’s be a little bit patient so we can give a definitive assessment and then let you know."

Sami Mokbel
BBC Sport Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal fear winger Bukayo Saka could be out for up to eight weeks with the quadriceps injury he sustained in the Gunners' Champions League draw against Bayern Munich.

The 25-year-old will undergo an MRI scan on Friday afternoon to better understand the problem, which forced him off at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

Fluid around the affected muscle has made diagnosing the injury difficult, but club medics are estimating after early examinations that Saka will miss a minimum of six weeks and fear it could be even longer.

If those early concerns are realised, Saka will miss a clutch of key games for the Gunners, as well as England's forthcoming matches against Croatia and Spain.

"We need a few more scans and opinions from the specialists," said Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta.

"When a player has to walk off the pitch, he is struggling to walk without any pain, and is restricted to movement; it is not a good sign. Let's be a little bit patient so we can give a definitive assessment.

"He's got another MRI as there was quite a lot of fluid in the area so it was quite difficult to understand the extent of the injury. We will know more tomorrow."

Arsenal

Bukayo Saka looks set to miss November's internationals with England, which come in the middle of a busy fixture schedule for Arsenal in three different competitions.

The Gunners have 10 games over the next six weeks in the Premier League, Champions League and League Cup, with fixtures at home to Manchester City and away to Liverpool and Tottenham included in that run:

Arsenal's upcoming fixtures:

• Everton (h)
• Fleetwood (a) - EFL Cup last 16
• Liverpool (a)
• Slavia Prague (a) - Champions League
• Hull (h)
• Newcastle (a)
• Borussia Dortmund (h)
• Man City (h)
• Brentford (a)
• Tottenham (a)

Alex Howell
BBC Sport Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Losing Bukayo Saka, who has scored four goals in 11 appearances in all competitions this season, will be tough for Arsenal to deal with.

But the Gunners have invested heavily in their squad over the past two summer transfer windows and have options.

After Saka's early withdrawal in their Champions League draw at Bayern Munich, Noni Madueke, who had started on the left wing, switched to the right and looked bright, and Eberechi Eze scored the opening goal from the left after coming off the bench to replace Saka.

Madueke can play on both wings, while summer signing Christos Tzolis - although currently out with a hamstring injury - has started the season well.

The Gunners also have 16-year-old Max Dowman as an attacking option, and the youngster has already shown that he can have an impact for the senior side after scoring in the Premier League last season.

Image source, Getty Images

On to that Arsenal line.

If you remember, Bukayo Saka suffered a thigh injury early in Arsenal's 2-2 Champions League draw at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta said immediately after the game that the quadriceps problem "does not look good at all".

The 25-year-old winger went down in the 10th minute at Allianz Arena - attempting to play a pass with nobody around him - and had to be replaced by Eberechi Eze, who went on to score the opening goal.

"They are a bit concerned. A player who has to come off with a really sharp pain is never good news but we have to wait and see," Arteta told TNT Sports.

Saka has had fitness issues in recent months and his game time was managed at the end of last season, as well as with England at the World Cup, because of an Achilles injury he picked up in March.

Brighton & Hove Albion

And a final word from Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler on when Mats Wiefer and Yankuba Minteh are likely to return:

"There's an option [they could feature], especially with Minteh. There's an option but definitely next week so they will train tomorrow with the team and we will see if they are available or not.

"If they are not available this weekend then I am quite convinced we will see them back in the squad next week for the [Manchester] City games."

Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler on Pascal Struijk injury: "We have to see how it's going today and tomorrow.

"Like I said, it's not a big issue but it's also something that can get bigger if we risk it too early. We have so many games so we have to take care of the player.

"We have the responsibility for that so therefore, we have to make wise decisions. Let's go day by day then see if he is available or not."

Brighton team news coming up Jeremy, then we have a news line on Bukayo Saka and how long he is expected to be out...

Manchester United

Thanks for sticking with us during Michael Carrick's news conference.

After a near six-minute opening speech, he went on to say he was "100%" the right person to lead the club forward and would do what was best for the club when asked about taking the captaincy from Bruno Fernandes.

If you'd like to watch the monologue again, click the "Watch & Listen" tab on this page.

Right, let's move on...

Manchester United

We have reached the end of Manchester United manager Michael Carrick's news conference...

Here's his final answer on Bruno Fernandes and whether he's considered taking the captaincy off him:

"The most important thing for me is the team, the squad and dynamics in the squad.

"It's about the football club. I'll always do what is best for the football club."

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick on getting players to show humility and hard work:

"It's pretty clear as day. I'm not telling you anything new, I haven't invented anything new with that.

"[Humility and hard work] is the make-up of any good football team. You have to earn the right to be better than your opponent. You have to do more than your opponent to win a game.

"It's as simple as that. It doesn't change, it never changes. It's what we need to do to win more games."

Manchester United

Michael Carrick on whether negative public comments from Manchester United players need to stop:

"We need to move forward, in the right direction, for sure.

"So we need to do things that enable us to do that, so it's pretty clear."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick on club's failure to produce teams capable of challenging for the league since Sir Alex Ferguson retired:

"I don't fear it. I know what we can achieve. I know what it needs to look like for us to be winning enough football games to get us through that spell.

"Principles, values are so, so important to the football club and definitely to me.

"We can win games, we can lose games - hopefully not but at some point we are going to do it.

"It's how you do it a little bit and what it feels like is important. That spirit, that unity, that togetherness needs it be there.

"It is there and it will be there, I'll make sure it's there. I'm just looking for the solutions to move us forward."

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick on if there is a division in the squad after negative public comments from Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez:

"It's not divided, no. We just need to get back to doing what we do best and we will."

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick on Bruno Fernandes after burglary at his house:

"It's an awful thing to hear about and to go through. We're obviously doing a lot of work to support Bruno and his family.

"Thankfully, they weren't directly affected, even though it's an awful situation. I'm not playing it down in any way. We're doing everything to support him."

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick on if he thinks everyone at club feels the same as he does, and as deeply:

"Yeah, I do. I 100% do, and and if you don't then this is not the place for you."

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick on his feelings at the current situation:

"It hurts an awful lot but that doesn't stop me.

"There's a big difference. That hurt is used as pure motivation and inspiration, if anything, to want more, expect more, work for more and get us going in that different direction.

"It feels at times as if it can be a long way away but it doesn't take too much to flip the other way and we're more than capable of doing that, I totally believe that.

"We will. We'll win football matches and we've got a very tough one on Sunday [against Bournemouth].

"Very, very good team that we're playing again and I'm not suggesting that becomes an easy game because it doesn't. We've got to respect the game, respect what it takes to win."