If there’s one player who will be out to score for Arsenal against Chelsea, it’s Bukayo Saka.
The Gunners face the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against their fierce London rivals at Stamford Bridge.
It’ll be a real test for Mikel Arteta, whose record in semi-finals at Arsenal is atrocious, but it’ll be an even greater test for new Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior.
Rosenior spoke highly of Arsenal before the cup blockbuster, but he has full confidence in what his players can do, with one star sure to be fired up for the challenge.
If you could sign any Chelsea player, who would it be and who would they replace at Arsenal?
Bukayo Saka has to end his suffering against Marc Cucurella in the Carabao Cup semi-final
Marc Cucurella loves playing against Bukayo Saka, so he probably looked at the draw and licked his lips.
Though Saka is one of the world’s best players, if there’s one player he’s failed to prove himself against thus far, it’s Cucurella.
For club and country, Saka has come up against Cucurella a total of eight times, and is yet to score or assist against the Spaniard.
Is there any Arsenal player you’d like to see score against Chelsea more than Bukayo Saka?
The personal rivalry began in 2021 when the Chelsea defender played for Brighton and has continued through his change of clubs, as well as when England have met Spain.
It’s been 703 minutes of action against Cucurella with no goal contribution for Saka and, more concerningly, a win rate of just 25%.
The Arsenal winger will be desperate to pull ahead in his rivalry with the Chelsea star, for reasons more than Cucurella’s mere presence.
Saka’s need for an Arsenal goal exceeds Cucurella rivalry
The last time Saka scored for Arsenal was against Brentford on matchday 14 of the Premier League season.
Seven league matchdays have passed since then, with Gooners left deprived of seeing Saka on the scoresheet for six weeks.
Fill the blanks, Bukayo Saka should be scoring __ goals a season at Arsenal.
Saka’s output in front of goal has been a talking point this season, with Thomas Tuchel making it clear that he expects the Arsenal ace to up his tally for England.
It would be fair to assume that Arteta wants the same for the forward domestically, as Saka has only seven goals in 27 appearances in all competitions this season.
For the player, there’s no greater incentive to end his drought than against Cucurella, who will simply hope for more of the same.
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