Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta could almost forgive his side for going a goal down to struggling Southampton as it brought out the best in winger Bukayo Saka, who scored one goal and made two more in their 3-1 Premier League home win on Saturday.
Fresh from a dominant win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Arsenal were expected to sweep aside winless Southampton.
But the Saints shocked the Emirates 10 minutes into the second half when Cameron Archer fired in his first Premier League goal since a summer move from Aston Villa.
The lead only lasted three minutes before Kai Havertz scored for the seventh consecutive home game.
Gabriel Martinelli was introduced after an hour and took just eight minutes to make his mark with a finish on the volley from Bukayo Saka’s cross.
Having set up Arsenal’s first two goals, Saka pounced on a loose ball to score the third himself.
Arteta described the Saints’ goal as a wake-up call before praising the 23-year-old left-footer for his ability to deliver when his team calls on him.
“I think he’s another step ahead in what he wants, and especially when (he does it) – do it at home, do it away, do it in big games, do it in not-so-big games when the team needs it, do it when it’s 3-0 – that’s what defines a top, top player,” the coach told reporters.
“Obviously, there are the stats, and you cannot get away from that. What he’s doing at his age is unbelievable, we have many examples of that as well,” Arteta added.
Pushing to another level — Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 5, 2024
Despite his relative youth, Saka has become arguably Arsenal’s most important attacking fulcrum.
“That’s the maturity and that’s the steps that players have to go (through). He has been long enough in the team now and he has earned the right to have that role, he believes in that and he has the capacity to change games,” the 42-year-old coach explained.
Arteta was also full of praise for German forward Kai Havertz, who fired home a Saka pass to make it seven home games in a row in which he has scored.
“He’s an attacking midfielder, he plays as a nine, you don’t know where he is – that’s his football brain, and for sure, his focus now as well is ‘I’m gonna win the game, I’m gonna do it’,” he said, adding that Havertz probably had more to give.
“He’s practising and he wants more, he’s not satisfied with what he’s doing, because there is still another level from him.”
(With inputs from Agencies)
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