scary

Bukayo Saka once more confirmed his value as one of many world’s greatest attackers as he impressed Arsenal to a towards Monaco.

The England ahead produced a poacher’s end both aspect of half-time, earlier than organising a 3rd purpose for Kai Havertz as Mikel Arteta’s males all-but mathematically clinched their place within the knockout levels.

Whereas Arsenal might have dropped off the tempo within the Premier League title race with a six-point hole to leaders Liverpool, Saka is on the right track to get pleasure from top-of-the-line seasons of his profession, having scored 9 objectives and offered 12 assists in 21 video games in all competitions.

Final season he scored 20 instances and assisted 14 in 47 video games in all competitions.

The query is, how good can Saka turn into?

The numbers behind Saka’s rise

Saka’s improvement since making his European debut – within the Europa League – as a 17-year-old in 2018 has been extraordinary.

Now 23, he has performed in seven Champions League video games on the Emirates Stadium, scoring seven instances and offering 4 assists.

Because the begin of final season, solely Harry Kane (18), Vinicius Jr (16) and Antoine Griezmann (13) have been concerned in additional Champions League objectives than Saka (8 objectives and 6 assists).

In that very same interval he has each scored and assisted in a single Champions League recreation on 5 events, greater than some other participant.

This season, Mohamed Salah is the one Premier League participant with extra purpose involvements (28) than Saka (21) in all competitions.

Within the Premier League, the Gunners ahead has 96 purpose involvements (52 objectives and 44 assists). So long as he reaches 100 earlier than the tip of April, he’ll turn into the fourth youngest participant ever to achieve the milestone, behind Michael Owen (22y 57d), Wayne Rooney (22y 122d) and Robbie Fowler (22y 166d).

‘Very humble – he’s cherished by all people’

Talking to TNT Sports activities after Wednesday’s victory, Arsenal boss Arteta praised the position Saka performs for his staff.

“He appears actually mature,” he stated. “What he has already accomplished within the recreation at his age is unbelievable. Very humble, a fantastic man to have round and an unbelievable expertise.

“He is a particular particular person. In his position, his management is rising. With the younger youngsters he’s wonderful, with the seniors he’s wonderful. He’s cherished by all people and he makes the distinction on the pitch.”

Saka’s reference to Arsenal’s younger gamers was clear when he ran straight to Myles Lewis-Skelly to thank the 18-year-old full-back for his contribution to the opening purpose towards Monaco.

Not even Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who coached Saka whereas working on the membership’s academy, anticipated him to turn into this good.

“He is my favorite participant, he is been there for therefore lengthy and he is so good. I by no means thought he would attain the degrees we’re seeing,” Henry stated on BBC Soccer Focus.

“He is a starter for Arsenal, he is a starter for England. I bear in mind when he began he was enjoying wing-back and the evolution of his recreation is excellent as a result of he was so vigorous, to now scoring objectives and assists.”

The scary factor for opposition followers is Saka appears like he may get even higher.

“Each determination he makes is the correct determination,” Karen Carney stated on TNT Sports activities.

“For somebody that younger to be that good – it is scary how good he might be in three or 4 years.”

When requested how he would try to cease Saka, former Manchester Metropolis and QPR defender Nedum Onuoha joked on Match of the Day: “I might not even trouble.

“His affect is great, he is creating and he is all the time a giant menace.”

Watch highlights of each Champions League recreation from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport web site and app.

There may also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.