WATFORD, England — Perhaps it should come as no surprise that a man nicknamed "Little Chili" is handling the heat. Bukayo Saka scored one goal and scored another as Arsenal claimed a 3-2 win at Watford on Sunday to take another important step forward in their pursuit of Champions League qualification.
The Premier League's top-four race is getting faster with each passing week, yet Saka and Martin Odegaard embody freedom of expression, which belies the idea that the Gunners are under pressure to deliver at the business end of the season. Is.
Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal seniors believe the club is ahead of schedule under Mikel Arteta and did not expect a serious push to Champions League football until next year.
And although it must be remembered that Watford are struggling at the wrong end of the table and this was their eighth straight home defeat, Arsenal displayed a willingness to seize this unexpected opportunity, in the prospect of returning to Europe's elite competition for the first time. Revealed. five years.
There was joy in his game from the start and scored a brilliant opening goal in just the fifth minute. Odegaard pirouetted brilliantly to find Shaka on the right before the England international had the presence of mind to bite the ball back into the box for a return pass, which saw Odegaard face a hapless Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster. Allowed the low finish to slide.
Cucho Hernández's superb 11th-minute cycle kick drew the hosts level and briefly threatened an upset, only to underline Saka that his apparent talent grew out of a fine work ethic. When caught by Watford midfielder Tom Cleverly, Saka won the ball, then exchanged a pass with Alexandre Lacazette before slotting a high finish in a flash.
The aforementioned Little Chili nickname was given to him by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was impressed by Saka's proficiency in a shooting drill, and this clinical sophistication showed why he is a strongly part of Arsenal's present and future. Especially with a previous source of goals, Aubameyang left for Barcelona.
Saka was also instrumental in Arsenal's third, although Arteta could claim some sort of assist, seven minutes after half-time, giving Saka an out-of-play ball for a quick throw-in. Cedric Soares was left on the right and Lacazette helped his cross through another superb Odegaard touch before tumbling Gabriel Martinelli.
Moussa Sissoko scored for Watford in three minutes from full-time to set up a grandstand finish, but Arsenal held on and, indeed, a draw would have been something that would have been a traitor given the football being played by the spectators. Would.
There was a time when Emil Smith Rowe's absence - explained here by a positive COVID-19 test - left Saka somewhat isolated, which the two Hale & Academy graduates have understood, but there are signs that he starting to display. Link-up with Odegaard.
Between them, the pair have combined for the most frequent combination of passes completed in the last third by Arsenal players during league games this season: Saka has found Odegaard on 78 occasions; The next best combination is Saka from Odegaard with a 68.
The time Arsenal have had to work without European football - and in their midseason break in Dubai - is paying off. Following this, their fourth consecutive league win, their manager cited the development of the players as reasons that inspired it.
"[Saka and Odegaard] trust each other better," Arteta said. "They understand when it's good to know what to do in relation to what the opponent is doing. The more they play together, the better they'll understand, it's easy."
Saka and Odegaard's ability to influence matches is a vital asset for a team that still lacks a powerful No. 9; Lacazette ended the game with two more assists, but he lacked conviction in sight of the goal. However, it doesn't matter much if the dynamic attacks continue and the people around him keep moving.
Saka has contributed 13 goals to the league this season, the most by any player under 21 in Europe's top five league bar Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz.
Those numbers are all the more remarkable, given the difficulties that plagued the start of the campaign after the 20-year-old was named one of three black players to miss a penalty in England's Euro 2020 final shootout following racist online abuse. settled. Lost to Italy.
Saka was lauded as he stepped back into domestic football, and Arteta saw him go beyond what he endured to become a better player who can go on to achieve great things.
Arteta said, "Bukayo experienced over the summer that there would never be a lot of players and I think it was great for his career because the football world showed how much they like and respect him." "
"I don't think you get much more in football than winning a trophy. I think it was a big boost for him to realize in difficult moments, these guys are really going to support him and the club has done exactly that. He did. As his companions.
"Then it's about him leaving that space. At his age, what he's already doing is phenomenal and he needs that room. Don't read too much, do what he wants. Football is his priority in life." And you can see that every day in training. He needs to behave and live the way he is doing, nothing more."