Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are showing incredible levels of maturity at Arsenal as the Premier League title race heats up.
Some may have expected the Arsenal duo to shrink given their lack of experience, but the England international and the Brazil international have actually been the ones to step up as their older teammates look nervous.
Now – ahead of Arsenal’s crucial clash against Manchester City on Wednesday – a remarkable statistic has emerged.
What’s the story?
Well – as detailed by ESPN – Saka and Martinelli are the first two teammates aged 21 or under to record 20 goal involvements each in a single Premier League campaign since Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Saka has scored 13 goals and provided 11 assists in 32 Premier League appearances so far this season, whereas Martinelli has scored 15 goals while also assisting five more in 32 outings.
That hasn’t been achieved since Rooney and Ronaldo managed it in the 2006/07 Premier League campaign.
Rooney scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists in 35 Premier League appearances that season.
In regards to Ronaldo, the Portugal international scored 17 goals and set up eight more in 34 Premier League games, taking English football by storm alongside Rooney.
Saka & Martinelli are special
Rooney and Ronaldo are widely regarded as two of the greatest forwards to ever play the sport, which speaks volumes about the potential of Saka and Martinelli.
The Englishman went on to score a total of 313 goals at club level, while Ronaldo is on 712 and counting – he has also picked up five Ballon d’Ors along the way.
It certainly isn’t outrageous to say that Arsenal have two potential Ballon d’Or winners on their hands.
The pair have been deadly in the final third so far this season, and they absolutely deserve to get their hands on the Premier League title for their relentless attitude – especially at times where things have got tough for Arsenal.
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