Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has heaped praise on Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka following the Gunners’ win over Everton on Wednesday, March 1.
The north London side hammered the Toffees 4-0 at the Emirates to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points.
Saka opened the scoring for the hosts in the 40th minute. He got on the end of a pass from Oleksandr Zinchenko and blasted the ball with his weaker right foot past Jordan Pickford from a narrow angle.
The Englishman then turned provider as he dispossessed Idrissa Gueuye and provided an assist for Gabriel Martinelli. Speaking about Saka’s finish for the first goal, Owen told Premier League Productions (via HITC):
“It was a real bit of quality that broke the deadlock. Everything we associate Arsenal with. They probed. They tried. Then, eventually, a little gap opened and they exploited it.
“Brilliant finish. Absolute brilliant finish from Saka’s right foot – Saka can go one or two ways, can’t he?! He can either take it on his left foot, or he realised Michael Keane is not even sniffing any danger.”
He added:
“He’s actually taken a touch. Watch the shape of his body. He gets himself between his body and the danger man. Protecting the ball like that. At the last minute, he decides to take it on his right, then nobody could get near him. What a finish.”
Speaking after the game, Owen added on the Arsenal man’s finish:
“He’s asking for the ball. He’s wanting it in this situation. Mykolenko is on the wrong side of him. But he knows he is his biggest danger. I love the way he turns. He uses his body to get between the ball and man, then the finish is exquisite with his right foot.”
Martin Odegaard scored the third goal for the hosts before Martinelli added another to complete an emphatic win.
Mikel Arteta on Arsenal’s first goal against Everton
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hailed Zinchenko and Saka’s quality and mentality to be able to create the first goal in their win over Everton on Wednesday.
Speaking in a post-match press conference, the Spanish manager said (via Arsenal.com):
“You have to produce those magic moments and as you said, take that initiative and have the mentality that ‘I’m going to do it on the pitch – I’m not going to wait for somebody else to do it.’
“When you have a few players with the willingness and capacity to do that, you have a better chance to win more games.”
Saka has now registered 11 goals and nine assists in 33 games across competitions for the Gunners this season.
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