Bukayo Saka has eclipsed Robert Pires’ impressive record following Arsenal’s Premier League victory over Southampton.
On Saturday, Arsenal faced an early setback when Southampton scored at the Emirates Stadium. However, Bukayo Saka emerged as the key player for his team once again.
Throughout the seven-match Premier League season, Saka has only gone without a goal contribution in one match, which was against Leicester City last week.
The Gunners clinched all three points against Southampton, with Saka adding three more contributions (one goal and two assists) to his impressive season tally.
With seven assists in as many games, Saka currently leads the Premier League in assists. He was the player his teammates relied on to regain control after falling behind, consistently exceeding expectations.
At just 23 years old, Bukayo Saka has taken on the captaincy in Martin Ødegaard’s absence, and this added responsibility seems to have enhanced his performance in recent weeks.
According to TNT Sports on Instagram, Saka has now tallied 42 assists in the Premier League, with two of those coming in Saturday’s match. This achievement means he has surpassed Arsenal legend Robert Pires in assists, doing so in 13 fewer games.
Saka has recorded 42 assists in 176 appearances for Arsenal, while Pires accumulated 41 assists in 189 matches.
Pires played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s Invincibles season in 2003/04 and ended his time in North London with two FA Cups and two Premier League titles.
If Saka aims to be remembered alongside the Frenchman, he has a way to go in terms of major trophies. However, there’s no doubt that under Mikel Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal is on the right path, with Saka at its heart.
