Bukayo Saka has shone for Arsenal in the Champions League.
Bukayo Saka got his first taste of Champions League football last season, after Mikel Arteta led the North London club back into Europe’s elite club competition.
Arsenal took on PSG in the tournament on Tuesday night, recording a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium.
Saka was able to make a decisive impact against the French giants, scoring the hosts’ second goal in the first half. The winger’s free kick crept through a crowd of players before nestling in the back of the net.
Arsenal fans were impressed with Saka’s overall display against the Ligue 1 outfit, though at this stage it should come as no surprise that the Hale End academy graduate was able to step up and deliver against an elite level opponent in a big game yet again.
The 23-year-old has been proving his quality ever since he first stepped onto the Champions League stage last season.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka up there with Harry Kane and Vinicius Junior
Taking into account his strike against PSG, Saka has now provided 9 goal contributions in just 11 outings in the Champions League.
This season he has scored once after two outings. Last season, from 9 appearances in the competition, he contribution 4 goals and 4 assists, before Arsenal were knocked out at the quarter-final stage by Bayern Munich.
Since the start of last season, only the German giants’ striker Harry Kane and Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior have been more productive in the Champions League.
In this time period, Kane leads the way with 16 Champions League goal contributions. The former Tottenham Hotspur striker has scored 12 goals and registered 4 assists in the competition for Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr has chipped in with 10 goal contributions, but is yet to make his mark in the competition this season.
What Arsenal need from Saka this season
Arsenal will be eyeing up silverware this season. Arteta will be expecting his side to seriously compete for trophies on all fronts, including in the Premier League and Champions League.
In order to achieve this aim though, the Gunners will need Saka to remain fit and firing on all cylinders. To this end, Arteta needs to protect the England international.
The Spanish coach must take opportunities to rest Saka whenever possible, protecting him from burnout and ensuring he is ready to shine on the big occasions. This means that Arteta will have to trust the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling to deputise for Saka at times.
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