RIO FERDINAND: BUKAYO SAKA BACK TO HIS BEST TO DRIVE ARSENAL TITLE BID
Rio Ferdinand believes Bukayo Saka showed elite form in the Chelsea draw, comparing his strength to Salah. He expects Saka's resurgence to drive Arsenal's title push in the second half of the season.
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Rio Ferdinand thinks Bukayo Saka showed signs of getting back to his best form during Arsenal's 1-1 game against Chelsea. He believes Saka could do great things in the second part of the season.
Arsenal is still at the top of the Premier League and has not been defeated in ten games. Mikel Merino scored for Arsenal. The game against Chelsea wasn't very exciting, and there weren't many clear chances to score.
Moises Caicedo was kicked out of the game, so Arsenal had one more player than Chelsea in the second half. But Chelsea scored three minutes into the second half.
Saka helped Arsenal score by getting past Marc Cucurella and crossing the ball to Merino, who scored.
Saka has scored three goals in the Premier League this season, but the assist he made for Merino was his first in a year.
He will want to continue playing well when Arsenal plays Brentford at home.
Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel that Saka is tough to stop when he's playing well.
He said Saka is strong like Mohamed Salah, even though he looks small. Ferdinand said it is hard to push Saka off the ball, especially when he is facing away from the play.
Ferdinand also said that Saka usually makes the right play at the right time.
Ferdinand feels that Saka and Arsenal could have a great season.
Ferdinand added that Saka is efficient and is a player who can help Arsenal if he gets in shape at the right time.
Ferdinand is sure that Arsenal is happy with a tie in the game against Chelsea, despite Caicedo getting sent off.
He said that if you asked the Arsenal players before the game if they would take a draw, they would say yes.
Ferdinand added that sometimes it's harder to play against ten players because they all stay back on defence, and Chelsea even scored when they had ten men.
But Ferdinand doesn't think this will hurt Arsenal; they are still doing well and scoring many goals.
Ferdinand thinks Arsenal has changed from a team that relies on set plays to a team that can create chances and score goals.
Overall, Ferdinand believes Arsenal has had a good couple of weeks in the Premier League and in Europe.
He said that teams are now more afraid of playing Arsenal and are trying to find ways to beat them. Ferdinand thinks teams are asking themselves more questions than they used to when they play Arsenal.
WHAT IS THE "AURA" MIKEL ARTETA SEES IN BUKAYO SAKA’S RECENT PERFORMANCES?
"He shifts momentum." Read Mikel Arteta’s full analysis of Bukayo Saka’s importance ahead of the crucial West Ham showdown.
Mikel Arteta sees something special in Bukayo Saka’s presence on the pitch, an “aura” that he believes could drive Arsenal toward a Premier League title, just three games away from ending a 22-year wait.
During Saka’s recent absence with an Achilles injury, Arsenal managed only a single win in five matches. His return, however, seemed to breathe new life into the squad. Saka set up Viktor Gyokeres for the opener before scoring himself in a solid 3-0 victory over Fulham last weekend.
More crucially, Saka netted the decisive goal that helped Arsenal secure a 2-1 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid, booking their first Champions League final appearance since 2006.
Since making his debut for the Gunners seven years ago, the England international now carries the hopes of pushing Arsenal for vital points, starting with a key clash against relegation-threatened West Ham at the London Stadium, followed by matches against Burnley at home and Crystal Palace away on the season’s final day.
When asked about Saka’s importance, Arteta highlighted the growing role he plays not just within the team but also in how opponents see him. There’s a clear presence, a certain quality that sets him apart. According to Arteta, Saka can shift a game’s momentum at any time, and instilling that kind of respect or even fear in the opposition is invaluable.
Arteta also touched on managing Saka’s comeback after injury, emphasising the idea of channelling fresh energy and motivation into his performance rather than rushing him back too soon. He described it as a privilege to have a player like Saka, someone who embodies core values and principles, both on and off the pitch. Beyond the football, there’s a human connection that makes working with him rewarding. What Saka showed, especially in the recent Champions League semifinal, was nothing short of remarkable.
Alongside Saka, Declan Rice has also become a pivotal figure since his £100 million move from West Ham last year. Now 27, Rice will make his 59th appearance of the season when Arsenal faces his former club on Sunday. His impact has been significant, earning him runner-up in the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award behind Bruno Fernandes.
Arteta praised Rice as a key leader and a major force for the team, underlining the powerful role he plays as Arsenal chase success this season.
WHY DID JURRIEN TIMBER’S "SIMPLE" INJURY TURN INTO A SEASON-ENDING MEDICAL MYSTERY?
After reaching the Champions League final, Arsenal face a fitness race for key stars ahead of their clash with West Ham.
Mikel Arteta has admitted that both Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber are running out of time to get fit before the season ends – a tough setback for Arsenal right now.
Both have been out for weeks, dealing with foot and ankle injuries. The hope was always that they’d be back for the final stretch, giving Arsenal a boost when it matters most. This week, Merino at least made it back onto the training pitch, but Arteta has confirmed neither he nor Timber will be involved in Sunday’s big match against West Ham.
Arteta said he has no new injury problems elsewhere, but for Merino or Timber to play before the end of the season, their recoveries would have to be almost perfect. Timber’s situation in particular has turned out to be more complicated than they first thought.
“That’s probably been the hardest part for everyone. For me, for the player,” Arteta said. “We really didn’t think it would take this long, and he’s still not ready.”
Meanwhile, things are going well for Arsenal on the pitch. They’ve pulled five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and they just beat Atletico Madrid, booking a spot in their first Champions League final in two decades.
There’s still a twist, though. Manchester City play Brentford first this weekend, and they still have a game in hand. Even so, if Arsenal win their last three matches, the title is theirs.
Next up is West Ham, who are fighting to avoid relegation and could easily trip Arsenal up. Arteta knows his team can’t afford any slip-ups. “After the Atletico win, I was completely caught up in the emotion. You could feel what it meant to everyone fans and the staff. But straight after, my focus went to West Ham,” he said.
“We talked as a team about how we’ve earned the chance to be in the final, and we have time to get ready, but right now, all our focus and all the details need to go into West Ham.”
