Bukayo Saka now has another reason to come back from injury better than ever

Arsenal fans are waiting anxiously for news on Bukayo Saka.

The winger was forced off with a quad injury early in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich, and Mikel Arteta admitted his concern afterwards and has since said it “doesn’t look good at all”.

Whenever he does return, he’ll have plenty to prove. Thierry Henry was defending him against criticism of his numbers only hours before he went off, and now he may even have a new competitor for his place in the England side.

Rio Ngumoha has been turning heads at Anfield, and after his latest display, some Liverpool fans have been getting a little carried away, with “Saka who?” doing the rounds on social media.

The 18-year-old is mainly a left winger, but with £120million signing Bradley Barcola on that side, his route into the Liverpool team has been on the right, where they’re still searching for a long-term successor for Mo Salah. Ngumoha has started all three of their Champions League games this season, the last two on the right, although he hasn’t started a Premier League game since the opening weekend against Newcastle.

Arsenal have been linked with a move for him, with Arteta said to be a big admirer. Prising him away from a direct rival would be incredibly difficult, though. Ngumoha hasn’t yet signed a new contract, but he’s said to be happy at Liverpool, and the club see him as one of the faces of their future.

He’s already making his mark for England too. He made his senior debut off the bench in a 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand in June and was named Player of the Match. In September, he made his competitive debut as a second-half substitute against the Czech Republic, becoming the third-youngest player to appear in a competitive game for England, after Wayne Rooney and Jude Bellingham. Incidentally, the man he replaced that night was Saka.

There’s still a long way to go before Ngumoha can match Saka’s international record, though. Saka has 19 goals in 59 caps, more than David Beckham managed in his entire England career, and only Harry Kane has scored more in the current squad.

But competition can bring out the best in a player. Saka has been England’s undisputed first choice on the right for years, and Ngumoha’s rise suggests that place will no longer be guaranteed. That’s exactly the kind of challenge that could push him to another level when he returns. And if Arsenal’s interest ever turns into a serious bid, the pair could end up pushing each other every day at Sobha, too.