Mikel Arteta said he hopes Leif Davis’ “dangerous” red-card tackle on Bukayo Saka will not stop his star winger from playing in Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Saka was withdrawn just 10 minutes into the second half of Arsenal’s 4-0 win at Ipswich and had an ice pack applied to his right ankle following Davis’ late challenge.
Davis was shown a straight red card and VAR did not intervene with referee Chris Kavanagh’s decision after it was adjudged that the Ipswich defender had “endangered Saka’s safety”.
Saka limped towards the tunnel at the conclusion of the game. However, Arteta is confident the England international, who has only just returned from a near four-month injury lay-off following hamstring surgery, will be fit to face PSG in the first leg at the Emirates a week on Tuesday.
“I don’t think it is intentional but it was dangerous,” said Arteta.
“I do (worry) with the numbers that we have right now, especially when the player has his back to goal, because that is the moment when the foot is planted, your weight is there, and you cannot really react.
“He cuts him from the back. The referee made a decision, and that it is clear. He was a bit sore, but it’s nothing serious, so it’s good.”
Just four days after they sealed their place in the semi-finals with a remarkable 5-1 aggregate victory over Real Madrid, Arsenal were a goal to the good inside 14 minutes when Leandro Trossard converted Saka’s cross.
Gabriel Martinelli doubled their advantage before the half-hour mark before Davis was dismissed. Trossard completed his brace on 69 minutes with Saka’s replacement, Ethan Nwaneri, adding a fourth in the closing moments.
And Arteta continued: “We are really happy, really happy with the performance. The first 35 minutes is one of the best we have played this season.
“We really dominated, with a very high intensity and understanding what we had to do to win. When they got the red card, the context of the game changed, and we were much more in control, scored another two goals, and were then able to make certain rotations. It was a very positive afternoon.”
A defeat for Arsenal would have allowed Liverpool the chance to claim the title later on Sunday, but their wait will go on.
Ipswich avoid relegation for now, but their fate is likely to be sealed next weekend with West Ham now only needing a draw at Brighton to send Kieran McKenna’s men straight back to the Championship.
Commenting on Davis’ dismissal, McKenna said: “At the time, I didn’t think it was. But it was on the far side of the pitch, and that is more because I don’t think Leif has a malicious bone in his body. There was certainly no intent to cause an injury.
“But when you see it on the replay, it is a high challenge. I can see why the referee gave it, and once it was given, it is not going to be overruled, so I can’t really have any complaints.
“Arsenal started really well, and we thought it was the highest standard we have faced this season. The group was at full stretch. Their execution was better, their quality shone through, and they were the better team. The red card made it an almost impossible task.”