Mikel Arteta saw a glimpse of Lionel Messi in Bukayo Saka’s goal against Wolves.
Despite knowing that the Gunners’ star prefers to cut onto his left foot, Wolves, like many before them, were unable to stop Saka, 22, from scoring another well-executed goal to kick off his season. Arteta compared Saka’s quality to that of the legendary Messi when asked about the goal.
Arteta explained, “With exceptional players, it’s like that. With Messi, I know he’ll come here and place the ball precisely, and he does it consistently. You can’t stop him; that’s the mark of great players.”
Saka, along with Declan Rice and David Raya, returned to play despite having long runs at Euro 2024. Arteta praised their commitment, saying, “I’m not surprised they came back immediately. That was their mentality from the last game. They were determined to be ready for the first match.”
He continued, “I spoke to them after the summer and planned accordingly. They wanted to return early and were already preparing during their holidays. This is the kind of mentality we need. When players show this level of commitment, it lifts the whole team and elevates our performance.”In the match, Saka and Kai Havertz scored either side of halftime for a 2-0 victory that might have been slightly flattering for Arsenal. Wolves manager Gary O’Neil acknowledged Arsenal’s clinical finishing as the difference.
O’Neil remarked, “I thought we played well and gave Arsenal a tough game. We limited their chances, and I felt that, at 1-0 down, we had a better chance than them. They found two moments of quality, while we missed a few opportunities.”
Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera was fortunate to remain on the field after appearing to grab Havertz’s neck and Gabriel Jesus’ rear.
