Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has drawn comparisons between his star winger Bukayo Saka and the legendary Lionel Messi following Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The win marked a strong start to the Premier League season for the Gunners, with Saka playing a pivotal role.
Saka scored Arsenal’s second goal just as Wolves were threatening to find an equalizer.
After a quickly taken free-kick found him on the right, Saka cut inside onto his favored left foot and fired a powerful shot past Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa at the near post. This type of goal has become a trademark move for the 22-year-old winger.
When asked about the challenge of stopping Saka from cutting inside, Arteta compared him to Messi, saying, “With good players, it’s like that.
You know with Messi, I know he’s going to come here and put the ball there because he does it all the time – that’s the quality of the players.
Saka is unbelievable. There are not a lot of players like him on the planet, and he is still so young. He can get better. It is very rare to see a young player like this perform every week at the highest level.”
Arteta expressed his gratitude for Saka’s performance, especially as Arsenal began to tire after an impressive start. He emphasized the importance of Saka’s goal in securing the win.
“Especially the beginning of the match, in the first half, where we were really good – really aggressive, really intense, a lot of purpose to attack, very fast, a lot of threat in the box,” Arteta told Arsenal’s website.
“We generated a lot – we probably should have scored two or three, and the game would have been a bit different.”
Arteta also acknowledged the team’s dip in performance during the second half, noting moments of sloppiness and lack of control, which allowed Wolves to create more opportunities.
However, Saka’s brilliant goal changed the game’s momentum and ensured Arsenal’s victory.
“In the second half, [there were] moments where we became a bit sloppy and not controlled, especially with some giveaways, which against this team is particularly difficult.
Then the game was a bit more open and Bukayo had an unbelievable action again to make it 2-0. Then it was a different game,” Arteta said.
With this win, Arsenal aims to build on their momentum and challenge for the Premier League title after finishing the past two seasons behind Manchester City. Bukayo Saka’s outstanding performances will undoubtedly be key to their success this season.
Highlights of Arsenal’s win against Wolves
Back home in N5 with a win ❤️
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 17, 2024
Check out the highlights of today's 2-0 victory over Wolves 👇 pic.twitter.com/MoiWNQVPF9
