Arteta Heaps Plaudits on Saka as Arsenal Maintain Unbeaten Run

After an exhilarating match at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal fought back to secure a 3-2 victory over a winless Southampton, maintaining their unbeaten start to the season. In the post-match conference, Manager Mikel Arteta expressed high praise for Bukayo Saka, noting his pivotal contribution to the game.

Arsenal encountered an early challenge when Cameron Archer scored to put Southampton ahead. However, the Gunners regrouped in the second half, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli netting two goals in a rapid ten-minute span to shift momentum in their favor. Saka, who provided assists for both goals, capped off his remarkable performance by scoring the third just before the final whistle. This victory marked Arsenal’s unbeaten run at 16 matches across all competitions.

Arteta’s admiration for Saka was evident in his post-match comments. With seven assists in his first seven league games this season, he hailed Saka as “unbelievable” and highlighted the young star’s remarkable ability to alter game dynamics, reflecting on his significant maturity.

This win also positioned Arsenal as only the second club in Premier League history to reach 400 home victories. As the international break looms, they find themselves just one point behind league leaders Liverpool.

On the other hand, Southampton is still on the hunt for their first win of the season, sitting with only one point from seven matches. The Saints faced relentless pressure from Arsenal right from the kickoff but managed to keep the hosts scoreless until halftime.

The game took a surprising turn ten minutes into the second half when Archer took advantage of a misstep from Raheem Sterling, scoring on a counterattack to give Southampton the lead. This setback ignited a fire in the Gunners, who equalized just three minutes later thanks to a skillful strike from Havertz that curled in off the post. Martinelli then found the net, finishing off a perfectly placed cross from Saka to restore Arsenal’s lead.

Despite having chances to extend their advantage, Southampton demonstrated resilience and came close to leveling the score again. They struck the woodwork twice — first with a shot from Dibling that grazed the post, and then Adam Armstrong rattled the crossbar from the ensuing corner.