Mikel Arteta lays down Arsenal challenge for Bukayo Saka

Mikel Arteta previews Southampton clash

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has no plans to rest Bukayo Saka anytime soon as he looks to propel him among the world’s ‘top players’. Saka has played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s stellar season so far, so much so that Arteta has started fielding questions about when he’s going to get a day off.

The 21-year-old winger has featured in all 14 games so far, scoring five goals and providing four assists. He’s started all 10 Premier League outings, playing at least 80 minutes in each as Arsenal claimed 27 points from a possible 30 to sit four points clear of Manchester City at the summit.

After he starred in Thursday’s win against PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates Stadium, a reporter asked Arteta why he has opted against resting Saka this season. And the Spaniard’s answer indicates he’s conditioning Saka to continue his career trajectory to become one of Europe’s best forwards.

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He said: “Look at the top players in the world. They play 70 matches every three days and make the difference and win the game. If you want to be at the top, you have to be able to do that. And if we start to put something different in the mind of a young player, I think we are making a huge mistake because then [he would] be like, ‘no, I don’t play now, on astroturf I don’t play. I don’t want that.

“I want them to be ruthless every three days. I want them knocking on my door [saying], ‘I want to play. I want to win the game. There is no fitness coach in the world that is going to tell me that they cannot do it because I’ve seen it. Seventy-two games and scored 50 goals. The players that score 50 goals do not play 38 games in the season. It’s just impossible.”

The questions were prompted by Saka going down injured shortly after Granit Xhaka netted the deciding goal of the 1-0 win against PSV. With the World Cup also less than a month away, England manager Gareth Southgate and the nation’s supporters will want their top stars in prime condition in Qatar.

But Arteta played down his injury after he limped off for Reiss Nelson on 85 minutes. “Yeah, he got a kick, he was limping a little bit, but hopefully, he will be all right,” the Gunners boss explained. It would be surprising if Saka wasn’t in action again when Arsenal travel to Southampton on Sunday.

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