Saka concern raised as Mikel Arteta hooks Arsenal star vs Bayer Leverkusen

Arsenal had to come from behind to draw 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League clash with Bukayo Saka replaced by Mikel Arteta not long into the second half

Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson identified a worrying sign with Bukayo Saka during the Gunners' 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the opening leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie. Mikel Arteta's team were forced to recover from falling behind after Robert Andrich broke the deadlock from a set piece in Germany, with Kasper Hjulmand's outfit making a rapid start to the second period.

Prior to the final whistle, substitute Kai Havertz converted from the penalty spot to equalise against his former club, with both teams level heading into the return fixture at the Emirates next week. The Gunners weren't at their sharpest, however, and Upson believed that Saka – who featured for just 60 minutes before being withdrawn – found difficulty in one-on-one situations.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Upson said: "Saka's had no joy at all in those one vs one situations and it's mainly due to Exequiel Palacios' reading of the game. He looks mentally like he's having a dip.

"He's just not at the races, he sees three players in front of him and he's trying to take them all on." The match tilted in Arsenal's direction late on, with Saka substituted by Noni Madueke on the hour mark as Arteta's team pursued a decisive moment.

They were forced to work for it, but ultimately secured their breakthrough in the 89th minute, with Madueke earning a penalty after being brought down by Malik Tillman. Speaking on TNT Sports following the match, Karen Carney said: "He wasn't [at the races] and I wonder did he have a little bit of a knock or something? I also think sometimes, you don't play well as a winger but he's still your captain and he's still your best player.

"I know there's other people playing for places, and fighting for places and competition. For me, if he's your best player you don't take him off because he can produce moments of magic.

"It doesn't feel right. Whether he's fatigued because he's played so much football, but he wasn't quite himself tonight. He wasn't picking the right moments to take people on and he was a little bit sloppy in possession.

"He's still the captain and the best players. I'd still rely on him and give him a start next week."

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown said: "The key thing is - the manager is spinning plates. The manager can recognise and see that [Saka is struggling] and on the hour he gets him off.

"He puts the player on who can do the job and that will happen between now and the end of the season."