Bukayo Saka unleashes Arsenal’s ‘fire’ and shows he can lead them to the title

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Louise Thomas

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A classic case of a goal being the worst thing a lesser team could do.

Southampton’s joy in Cameron Archer giving them a shock lead only served to awaken Arsenal, who went from a very flat display to one where they came at the visiting side from all angles. That eventually resulted in a rousing 3-1 win, although one that was more difficult than it might have been.

Arsenal ultimately had too much individual quality, specifically in Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. The German will dominate a lot of the coverage given he equalled Robin van Persie’s record by scoring in seven consecutive games at this stadium. The strike against Southampton was the equaliser, and perhaps the pick of the day’s goals. Havertz shook his hips like Shakira, who wrote the “Waka Waka” song his chant is based on, to deftly create the space for a fine finish off the post. Mikel Arteta spoke of how “something has changed” in Havertz, to go up a level.

It was Saka, however, who dominated the game. He set up Gabriel Martinelli’s match-winner with a brilliant cross before clinching the 3-1 win with a well-deserved strike of his own. The only quibble you could have with his performance was that his set-piece delivery wasn’t perfect in the way it usually is, but that only served to amplify the other impressive parts of his game. Most visible was his sheer range of deliveries beyond his set-pieces. The cross for Martinelli was typical of that, showcasing a range of crosses that are almost like a major-winning golfer’s array of shots. Above all, though, there was Saka’s leadership.

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It has been one of the undercurrents of Arsenal’s season, that perhaps warrants more discussion. Saka is visibly growing into a senior player. It can be heard in statements he makes like how he believes this is going to be Arsenal’s year, and seen in a new assertiveness on the pitch. Even opposition teams have noticed how Saka gets more involved. There’s a welcome new spikiness in him, which is all the more conspicuous given how he is almost universally viewed as such a nice and polite young lad. Opposition defenders don’t always feel it.

“He has the capacity to change games and decide games,” Arteta said. “If we want to be at the top, we need players to make those moments... that’s what decided top, top players. He’s an attacking midfielder who plays as a nine, you don’t know where he’s going to go.”

That rising seniority is all the more important on days like this. Although Arsenal keep pace with Manchester City and Liverpool and can be generally satisfied with another win before the international fixtures, there were slight concerns that Arteta may want to look at over the break.

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Arsenal again failed to keep a clean sheet, making it four games out of the last five where they have conceded. That is despite their rightful reputation as having one of the best defences in Europe, as well as the fact Archer’s fine strike was just Southampton’s fourth of the season. Mateus Fernandes won the ball off Raheem Sterling, in a challenge that was checked for a foul, before feeding Archer for a run almost straight down the right to then wrap the ball around David Raya. It wasn’t like it was out of nothing since Arsenal had a few warnings. Fernandes himself should have scored before that from a Tyler Dibling run.

Such spells meant this was the second successive Arsenal home where they toiled against relegation candidates. Leicester City last week came back from 2-0 to 2-2, requiring Arsenal to go to levels of effort they probably didn’t anticipate.

“This is the Premier League,” Arteta said in response to questions about how they needed a wake-up call. “Game on.”

Arsenal did still come through, though, showing they have more to give. That is the wider point with these concerns. They aren’t necessarily serious, but just are something that Arteta is going to have to address.

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The flat first-half display was also maybe the first time there was any sense they missed Martin Odegaard, as they struggled to create almost any chances at all. After Southampton weathered an early burst, the closest Arsenal came to goal was in speculative shots from distance.

This all changed after that Archer goal. Arsenal weren’t just sparked into life. It was like a fire in them had been set off, as they responded with fury. Arteta spoke about “starting a new game”. That could be felt in the force of Havertz’s equaliser, as he smashed the ball in off the post with the type of finish that reflected an intense urgency. They still controlled play, though, as witnessed in the key second goal. Saka curved over the most inviting ball, for substitute Martinelli to guide it inside Aaron Ramsdale’s near post first time.

Arsenal weren’t quite out of danger, as Taylor Harwood-Bellis hit the crossbar from a corner. They needed assurance and Saka of course offered it. “He has that focus,” Arteta said. “He thought ‘I’m going to win this game.’” Saka made it a reality, as he reaches a new level.