Asked about the 23-year-old England international’s condition, Arteta said: “It is not looking good. He will be out for many weeks.”

Saka was filmed leaving Selhurst Park on crutches, souring what had been a comprehensive second win over the Eagles in four days after Gabriel Jesus’s hat-trick secured Arsenal’s passage to the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Arteta said after Saturday’s match: “He felt something in his hamstring. He couldn’t continue. He will have to be assessed, so I’m pretty worried about that one.

“It’s very difficult to [give a prognosis] now. They have tested him inside but it’s very difficult to say how bad it is.

“We lost Raheem [Sterling] yesterday [Friday], we don’t know for how long as well, so to lose two players in 24 hours is not good.

“Unfortunately with the amount of games that we are playing, every three days with this schedule, it doesn’t surprise me, but the team will react to that.”

Earlier this year, managers and footballers alike spoke out against the expanding schedules, warning that injuries were increasing as well as the lack of rest time for players.