Bukayo Saka issues apology to Liverpool star for 'hard to swallow' incident in Arsenal draw

Bukayo Saka has issued a public apology to a Liverpool player following Arsenal's 1-1 draw at Anfield.

Premier League leaders Arsenal escaped with a point after a pulsating encounter on Merseyside on Saturday night.

The Gunners had looked like they might end their Anfield hoodoo when Gabriel Magalhaes put the visitors in front with a header after just three minutes.

Liverpool were denied a penalty shortly afterwards when referee Chris Kavanagh waved away their appeals after a Martin Odegaard handball in his own area.

But the home side levelled later in the half, Mohamed Salah scoring a brilliant goal to secure a point for Jurgen Klopp's side.

The final result was somewhat overshadowed by an injury to left-back Kostas Tsimikas, who was forced off midway through the first half after colliding with his own manager.

Saka barged Tsimikas off the pitch and into Klopp, sending the Liverpool boss flying in the 33rd minute of the match.

Greece international Tsimikas stayed down injured and had to be replaced by Joe Gomez, with the left-back forced to go to hospital.

Klopp later confirmed that Tsimikas had suffered a broken collarbone, a major blow to Liverpool with first-choice left-back Andy Robertson also currently injured.

Speaking after the game, Saka apologised to Tsimikas for the incident.

"I heard he has gone to hospital so obviously I want to apologise to him, I didn’t mean it of course," Saka told Sky Sports.

A quick look at the action that caused Tsimikas shoulder-collar bone injury. pic.twitter.com/zikGHe1fsX

— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) December 23, 2023

"For me it was a 50/50 and I have gone shoulder to shoulder with him. I didn't see it but he must have taken a bad fall, I didn't see him go into Jurgen Klopp either.

"I was focused on running forward because I didn’t think it was a foul. That's my take on it."

Klopp expressed his frustration in his own post-match interview, while also confirming the severity of Tsimikas' injury.

"It was massively overshadowed by Kostas Tsimikas collarbone issue, definitely broken, so he is out for a long time," said Klopp.

"The other issues we will have to see. It is hard for us to swallow with the Robbo [Andy Robertson] situation."