Bukayo Saka has now spoken out after Arsenal have come under fire in recent weeks.
The Gunners’ form has been inconsistent of late, and their Premier League title hopes were damaged by consecutive draws against Fulham and Everton.
However, Arsenal bounced back with a 3-2 EFL Cup quarter final win against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening to take a step closer to a trip to Wembley Stadium and a shot at some of the silverware that they crave.
Gabriel Jesus was able to answer some of his critics in this match as he ended his goal drought in spectacular fashion with a hat-trick against the Eagles.
Jesus is not the only Arsenal star who has been called out in the media, though. Raheem Sterling was recently dubbed the worst signing of the summer.
On top of that, Kai Havertz has been targeted with criticism too.
Bukayo Saka has been the subject of public debate before, too, so will have some idea of what his teammates are currently going through.
Bukayo Saka admits he isn’t bothered by critics
The Arsenal winger is a talismanic figure at the Emirates Stadium, and the most potent and reliable attacker in Mikel Arteta’s squad.
The Hale End academy graduate has always been able to answer his critics by doing his talking on the pitch.
However, in a conversation with BBC Sport, the England international has now confessed that recognition and plaudits from pundits and those within the game is: “Not so important.
“I feel like I know what I want to achieve in the game and people are always going to talk regardless whether I do something or whether I don’t do it.
“Even if we win, people will still talk. So my mentality is just ‘do your thing and live your life’ because people are going to talk regardless.”
Arteta will appreciate this attitude, and it is a mentality that must be adopted by his entire squad.
How Mikel Arteta can protect his Arsenal squad
Part of the manager’s job is to insulate his players from criticism and take fire from the press himself. This is something that Arteta will continue to do.
The Spanish coach will also be aware that he can use criticisms of his team to inspire his players and get them fired up to prove a point.
In any case, he will repeat Saka’s message that Arsenal can only focus on themselves, and cannot be impacted by outside influences.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
