Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has hailed Bukayo Saka’s performance against Manchester United last night. The teenager was handed his second successive start in the league by manager Unai Emery and put in a lively display on the left-wing.
The 18-year-old was one of the Gunners’ key threats going forward and Keown thinks the England Under 19 international looked more like the £72m record signing than Nicolas Pepe:
“Arsenal look like they have unearthed a gem in Saka. He looked like the £72million winger on show. That is not meant as a dig at Nicolas Pepe, their summer signing from Lille, but rather a compliment for Saka. Only a deflection denied him scoring the winner, too. What a talent he looks.”
Saka has really come on leaps and bounds in recent weeks. At the start of the season, he had Alex Iwobi and Reiss Nelson ahead of him in the pecking order. However, with the former’s departure for Everton and Alexandre Lacazette’s injury, the teenager has taken advantage.
After bagging a goal and two assists against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League, he has begun to establish himself in the first team and he certainly didn’t look out of place at Old Trafford yesterday evening.