Is Bukayo Saka fit for FPL Gameweek 8?

International breaks always have their casualties and Bukayo Saka was one of dozens of players to sustain an injury over the October period.

The Arsenal winger was withdrawn earlier than expected during England's shock 2-1 defeat to Greece and the 23-year-old subsequently missed the victory over Finland in Helsinki.

Saka was sent back to north London early to recuperate and is now a doubt to feature in Arsenal's weekend clash with Bournemouth on the south coast. Mikel Arteta and Fantasy Premier League managers across the land will be sweating on his fitness.

Here's the latest injury news on Saka ahead of Gameweek 8 in FPL.

Will Bukayo Saka be fit to play Bournemouth?

Saka lasted just 52 minutes before being substituted in England's surprise UEFA Nations League defeat to Greece. Arsenal's star forward was replaced by Noni Madueke after sustaining a hamstring injury.

However, despite missing the 3-1 victory over Finland several days later, interim England boss Lee Carsley didn't think Saka's fitness concerns were serious.

Speaking to the media before the Finland encounter, Carsley stated: "Bukayo would have been close but it would have been unfair to take a risk with him, he's a positive person and I expect him to be fine."

Obviously, Arsenal will have to assess Saka's condition before Saturday's trip to Bournemouth, but the winger has always been incredibly durable when it comes to injuries. Often Saka has been seen trudging off the pitch with medical staff before featuring for the entirety of the following game.

Speaking on Friday at his press conference ahead of the trip to the south coast, Gunners boss Arteta revealed: "It's not a serious injury. He's evolving well. He was probably good enough to play with the national team second game. We have some big tests today so we are hopeful."

That news will come as a major relief to Arsenal fans. With injuries mounting up elsewhere, the last thing the Premier League title hopefuls need is another blow to one of their most important players, having already seen club captain Martin Odegaard ruled out since early September.

Arteta also gave updates on the likes of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Odegaard as the north London giants aim to keep pace with Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

He said: "He [Havertz] had a few issues but we've been dealing with that. We have great communication with Germany. If he trains well today he has a good chance to be fit and available.

"Gabi landed yesterday afternoon. Yesterday he went outside to a bit to see how he's feeling. We have to decide if we want to take a risk because I know he'll say he is.

"He's [Odegaard] not gonna be fit for this game. Next week will be a different story. He needs to clear some markers doing things with the ball in that latter stage of rehab. Next week will be crucial."

After the clash with Bournemouth, Arsenal take on Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League and then host Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

Bukayo Saka FPL alternatives in Gameweek 8

If you're concerned over Saka's fitness or it becomes clear that his injury is more serious than first thought, there are an array of FPL alternatives that offer safe points. One of those is Cole Palmer (£10.8m), who is currently £0.7m more expensive than Saka. If you have wiggle room in your budget, the Chelsea midfielder is always a secure bet.

The options in a lower price bracket are slimmer, with the likes of Son Heung-min (£9.8m), Kevin De Bruyne (£9.4m) and Martin Odegaard (£8.2m) all fitness concerns themselves. Saka's international teammate Phil Foden (£9.2m) could be a risky shout worth investing in given his low ownership and favourable upcoming fixtures.

Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo (£7.5m) is already an extremely popular option after an impressive start to the season and would certainly save you some cash. He faces Manchester United (A), Ipswich Town (H) and Fulham (A) in his next three and has blanked in just two gameweeks so far.

If you're content moving from one north London club to another, James Maddison (£7.5m) could be a sensible solution in the short and long term. The Spurs maestro has 25 points in his last three matches and faces West Ham United (H), Crystal Palace (A) and Ipswich (H) in three of his next four.

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