Bukayo Saka responds to Mikel Arteta challenge in Champions League

Bukayo Saka proved to be a decisive figure for Arsenal once again, stepping off the bench to make a massive impact in their 3-0 UEFA Champions League win over Lille at the Emirates Stadium, despite having just shaken off an illness ahead of the fixture.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had previously challenged the 25-year-old forward to aim for "two or three" goals per game given his immense quality. While Saka did not hit that exact tally against the French visitors, he came on to set up Eberechi Eze's strike to make it 2-0 before slotting home his side's third goal with a confident one-touch finish, bringing his season tally to four goals in nine matches.

Arteta revealed that he deliberately adjusted Saka's positioning this season to bring him closer to the opponent's goal, combating the defensive strategy of opposition teams doubling up on the winger. These tactical tweaks arrive after concerns over whether injury issues from the past two seasons had caused him to lose a yard of pace.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

"He has been getting in great positions, getting shots, getting one-touch finishes and tap-ins. That is the kind of unpredictability we have with that player, otherwise we know how the opponent is going to defend him."

Mikel Arteta

Arteta made five changes to his starting lineup from the weekend win over Leeds, handing starts to Noni Madueke, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, and Viktor Gyokeres. Eze rewarded his manager's faith by scoring his first goal of the campaign, while Gyokeres struggled with just 12 touches before being replaced, with Kai Havertz proving a more natural fit up front and contributing to Saka's late goal.