by Mikel Arteta hailed Bukayo Saka as “incredible” after the winger spearheaded Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Southampton at the Emirates.
Arteta’s side were stunned when Cameron Archer put Southampton ahead in the 55th minute. But Saka started the comeback three minutes later by having Flynn Downes to give Kai Havertz his fourth goal in as many games, and his seventh in a row at the Emirates.
Substitute Gabriel Martinelli then converted Saka’s precise cross in the 68th minute. The 23-year-old capped off another fine performance by getting his name on the scoresheet in the closing stages.
Saka, who said earlier this week he was confident this would be the season where Arsenal beat Manchester City to the Premier League title, has tallied seven assists in the Premier League so far, three more than any other player, and the largest number in all of Europe. the top five leagues. He also surpassed Robert Pires’ tally of 41 assists for the Gunners.
“There are the statistics and you can’t escape them, and what he is doing at his age is incredible,” Arteta said.
“He has the ability to change and decide matches like many other players. It’s his maturity and it’s another step in what he wants.
“When you do it at home, do it in big games, less important games and when the team needs him. This is what defines a top player. If we want to be at the top, sometimes players have to create those moments and he certainly did that again today.
Four days after their victory against Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal returned to the Emirates to face a team who had taken just one point from their first six matches.
Arsenal dominated the first half but only recorded one shot on Aaron Ramsdale’s return goal.
The Gunners were then stunned by the Saints and, even after Martinelli’s goal, they were lucky when David Raya’s woodwork was put to the test twice in a minute.
“We started the second half a bit sloppy,” Arteta said. “It was unbelievable that we didn’t score in the first half. But we ruined everything we did and started a completely new match in a difficult environment.
“We had a warning signal with their goal, and it’s true that we had to react to that. But we did it and we did it convincingly.
Arsenal’s victory allows them to match City’s tally of 17 points and keep them adrift of leaders Liverpool. Southampton remain on one point.
But Saints boss Russell Martin took confidence from his performance at the Emirates – particularly after his side conceded three times in the first half in their previous outing against Bournemouth.
“I’m really proud of the team,” Martin said. “The willingness to defend, to fight and to run that wasn’t there in the first half (against Bournemouth) on Monday was there today.
“They grew up and they learned a lot. We are not going to be defined by a result at Arsenal.
