Saka went off and was replaced by Chelsea winger Noni Madueke just a few minutes after half-time. He was unable to run back to help the Three Lions defend when Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis gave his country a shock lead.
Arsenal travels to Bournemouth after the international break before a home Champions League fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk. It then hosts Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League.
Liverpool full-back Kostas Tsimikas was absent from the match but he was missing through illness. The 28-year-old had been expected to feature but was not named in the matchday squad for his nation.
Trent Alexander-Arnold started for England at right-back with Curtis Jones on the bench. The latter is yet to make his senior debut for the Three Lions but has been performing well at club level.
"Trent is the kind of guy who wants to play," Tsimikas had said about Alexander-Arnold in the build-up to the game. "I'm really happy for him the last couple of games. He plays and always delivers. The numbers in Liverpool speak for themselves. For my opinion, he knows my opinion, for me he is the number one."
"Of course, everybody knows England has the best talent in the world," he added. "I played against many of them for Liverpool so I know them quite well. We have to give absolutely everything to be 2000 per cent ready and focused."
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