Mikel Arteta praises Bukayo Saka as Arsenal down Southampton
What's the story
Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, has lauded Bukayo Saka for his exceptional performance in the team's 3-1 triumph against Southampton in matchweek 7 of the Premier League 2024-25 season on Saturday.
The 23-year-old footballer was instrumental in this victory, setting up goals for Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli.
He also scored the third goal himself, demonstrating his game-changing abilities.
Here are further details.
Game changer
Saka's assists and goal contribute to Arsenal's win
Saka's contributions were crucial in turning the tide for Arsenal, who had initially fallen behind due to a goal by Cameron Archer.
His assists in this match brought his total to seven in the Premier League, surpassing any other player in the division.
Additionally, he scored a decisive goal following an error by Southampton, further solidifying his status as a key player for Arsenal.
Rising star
Arteta acknowledges Saka's maturity and leadership
Arteta expressed his appreciation for Saka's contributions in the match against Southampton. He highlighted the young player's readiness to take on more responsibility within the team.
"That's the maturity and that's the steps that players have to do," Arteta said after the match.
He further added, "He believes in that, he has the capacity to change games, to decide games...and he wants to be at the top."
Consistent performer
Arteta hails Saka's consistency and game-changing abilities
Arteta also praised Saka's consistency and ability to perform under pressure.
He emphasized that top players must deliver both at home and away, in big games as well as smaller ones, especially when the team needs it most.
"What he's doing at his age is unbelievable," Arteta said, acknowledging Saka's impressive performance at such a young age.
Information
Saka's numbers for Arsenal
Saka's two assists and a goal sees him race to 49 goals and 42 assists from 177 Premier League matches. In the ongoing season, Saka has 7 assists and two goals from 7 matches. In 236 matches for Arsenal, Saka now has 61 goals.