After Arsenal’s FA Cup loss to Liverpool, and those missed chances, the London club knew they had to start this Premier League title showdown in a very fast fashion.
Mikel Arteta’s side did just that as they didn’t let Liverpool settle and they ensured they got in behind their opponents’ high line at every opportunity.
Inside 15 minutes, Kai Havertz, who started up front with Gabriel Jesus out injured, raced through on goal and saw his one-v-one shot saved by Alisson Becker.
But Bukayo Saka was alert and ready to pounce on the rebound, with Ian Wright adding that it was a ‘very, very good touch’ from the 22-year-old before he put the ball into the back of the net, as he told Premier League Productions (04/02/24 at 5:25 pm).
It was a brilliant opening for Arsenal, just what the fans dreamt of and it started an evening that would see the Gunners eventually claim all three points.
Yes, Liverpool equalised in a comical fashion towards the end of the first half, but the leaders then gifted their rivals with a goal of their own following a mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker.
Bukayo Saka goal for Arsenal v Liverpool
“Exactly what you want against a Liverpool side, you want to come in and put them under pressure straight away,” said Wright.
“They aren’t tight enough and then you can play through them like this. It was just a great pass from Gabriel, but it’s the movement from Kai Havertz. Now he is in and you are thinking ‘can he finish?’. He doesn’t there.
“But Saka with a very, very good touch backing him and scoring. It was a brilliant goal.”
Bukayo Saka goes off injured
A lot has been made about the Hale-End star playing too many games this season and how he needs a rest, especially given that he is a player who is targeted.
But Arsenal fans would have been fearing the worst when they saw Saka go down a few times against Liverpool, before eventually hobbling off.
With the Champions League knockout stages around the corner, the hope from Arsenal’s perspective will be that their star man isn’t out for the long-term and it’s just a knock.
He is such a crucial player to the team, and if Arsenal are to win the title, then they need Saka fit and firing out on that right flank.
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