Ahead of Arsenal’s penultimate Champions League group game against RC Lens on Wednesday night, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has answered questions about Bukayo Saka’s ability, while also giving the latest fitness update on a host of players.
Saka has grown to be one of Arsenal’s most important player over the past couple seasons but his attacking output in the current campaign has somewhat reduced. In games, teams often deploy a two-man marking tactic against the winger but Arteta and the player himself are positive they would soon find a solution around this.
Arteta answers questions of Bukayo Saka being world class
Asked if Saka is world class, Arteta responded: “Well, he played at the World Cup, he plays in the national team, so I don’t know what world class means, but he’s a top, top player, that’s for sure.”
Continuing further on if Bukayo Saka can keep his form for another five years, he continued: “Well, getting to the top is one thing, but maintaining is something else. He’s done it for five years, and as well you can see that the way he’s improving, he’s really steady, but really fast as well. He’s got the right mentality because he’s got the right family, the right people around him, and he’s still so humble. He has the right advice around him and that’s what makes him special, because he wants more and there is much more to come.”
Arteta also issued a fitness update on the trio of Fabio Vieira, Thomas Partey and Emile Smith Rowe.
“It is a possibility but it will depend on how they evolve. Emile has been already on the pitch doing some jogging, so I don’t know how long it’s going to take. Normally he is a quick healer, and Thomas is the same. We have to make sure that when they come back they are at their best as well. We don’t want to rush them, but at the same time the team needs them because at the moment we are missing some key, key players.”
On Viera, he said: “We’re expecting him to be out for weeks now. We don’t expect him to do that [be back this side of the break], so let’s see how he evolves and obviously, the operation was done yesterday so we’re going to have to wait and see, but we will take it as it comes.”
