As Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny clashed heads with United’s Phil Jones during Manchester United and Arsenal’s Premier League match on Sunday, there were major doubts as to whether the Polish goalkeeper could have carried on. There were many risks with allowing Szczesny to carry on such as the fear of concussion, but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he would’ve taken Szczesny straight off had this been the case.
Following the clash of heads, Szczesny required lengthy treatment on the pitch in the first half following the arial collision but the club’s physios deemed him fit to carry on, and the second half revealed the goalkeeper couldn’t have been too badly affected as he managed to pull off a string of impressive saves. Despite this, the bench still kept a close eye on him, and Wenger insisted he would have taken Szczesny off if he was told to do so bythe club’s medical staff.
Wenger said “I listen to the doctor. If he says to me he has to come off, he comes off” he then made the stern point “No matter if we have seven men on the field, I do it” and this truly showed the Frenchman’s determination to keep his players in top condition. In a similar incident shortly into the second half, United’s Serbian defender Namenja Vidic was forced off due to a collision with team mate, David De Gea. He was taken to hospital but has been released earlier today after a successful scan.
Both incidents were concerning as concussion is a mjor injury to be suffered in sport, and luckily for both Arsene Wenger and David Moyes, both players came out clear, although Vidic appeared to have suffered worse as he was forced off. Szczesny has been cleared to play in Arsenal’s next fixtures after the international break, and the Polish goalkeeper will be happy to be back to normality, injury free.
