Arsenal midfielder shares that he ‘does not take moments for granted’
Bukayo Saka sealed the deal for Arsenal in a 2-0 triumph against West Ham on a day that would mean much more than the three points, Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere reports for Vavel. He has settled back into his role of seniority, but the attacker was clear that he “does not take these moments for granted” after the adversity of the last 9 months.
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‘There’s a lot to celebrate’
Saka completed his second century of Premier League appearances in this victory against the Irons, getting his 100th goal involvement in the competition with a successful effort from the penalty spot.
“There’s a lot to celebrate – a beautiful win, another goal and 200 appearances as well. Happy days.”
He has suffered a disjointed start to the season. A hamstring injury forced him off the field against Leeds United in August and he returned in the second half of a 1-1 draw against Man City a fortnight ago. That setback came after the hamstring tear that ruled him out of action for four months this year.
“I don’t take these moments for granted, especially the last few months when I’ve had to miss games and watch from the stands as I’ve been injured.”
His appearance at Newcastle United last weekend marked his Premier League start since the trip to Old Trafford on opening matchday, and now he is looking forward to consistent minutes on the field.
“I’m very proud, I’m going to enjoy it tonight and come back after the break ready to go again. I just want to give my best, give my best for my teammates and try and push this club to win.”
The 24-year-old is also keen to pull on the shirt for the Three Lions again after a lengthy absence.
“I’m feeling good that I’ve got the 90 minutes out of the way now. Towards the end, I’m a bit tired if I’m honest, but that’s normal. I’m happy to get the 90 minutes in my legs and get a win and go away to England: I’ve had to miss a lot of games for the national team too. So, I’m happy to be back there.”
Club action must wait until the trip to Fulham in a fortnight, and for now, the Gunners are sitting pretty at the top of the table, having already encountered Newcastle and three ‘Big Six’ clashes.
“We’ve had some really tough fixtures, some tough away fixtures. But I think we can be happy with what we have now going into the break, and we’re in a strong position to come back and push on to the end of the season.”
