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Saka has Arsenal right on track
BRILLIANT Bukayo Saka has his eyes on the title prize after destroying Crystal Palace to send Arsenal eight points clear of Manchester City.
The England winger scored two and made another as the Gunners racked up their 22nd League win of the campaign – as many as they managed in the whole of last season.
Saka, who bounced back from last Thursday’s extratime Europa League knockout defeat to Sporting, said: “Of course we are humans and we get tired.
“It is difficult sometimes but the prize at the end is worth giving everything, giving all our energy for.
“Sometimes you can feel and see the tiredness in our bodies after playing 120 minutes and then you have to come again two days later to play here.
“But we have the belief and the desire that we want to do this this year and nothing can stop us.”
Gabriel Martinelli had opened the scoring while Granit Xhaka also made it onto the scoresheet.
Saka now believes City’s next game - at home to Liverpool after the break - could see the defending champions drop vital points on the title run-in.
He added: “We know who they are playing next, and it’s a tough game for them - but at the same time we are really focused on ourselves.
“We have 10 finals to go. We are out of every competition, it’s only the Premier League. That is the way we are treating it. Ten finals. We prepare our best and give everything on the pitch, then see where that takes us.”
Boss Mikel Arteta said: “Bukayo was again really good. Really affecting the game with his contribution, especially in the opponent’s box. So yes, I’m really happy with him.”
Concerns persist, however, over defender William Saliba who injured his back against Sporting and is expected to be out for several weeks.
And right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu - forced off in the same game – could miss the rest of the season.
“We don’t know,” Arteta added. “The doctor is assessing. We have one assessment and I think they need to have another tomorrow. It’s not looking good. Tomi is not one to exaggerate things. He was really concerned straightaway and we are concerned.
“We hope Willy is going to be better news. But we’ve lost players already. We lost Gabriel Jesus for four months, we lost Thomas Partey for one and a half months, we lost Alex Zinchenko for one and a half months.
“We lost Mo Elneny for six to eight months. Now we’ve lost Eddie Nketiah and Tomiyasu or Saliba. Everybody has to give a bit more. It’s not a secret.
“If we want to maintain that level we have to give more.”
Managerless Palace, meanwhile are now 12 games without a win and are just three points off the bottom three – but two teams have played fewer matches. Jeffrey Schlupp grabbed a second-half consolation but Wilfried Zaha had earlier hit the post and Michael Olise was slow to react to a chance that could have made it 3-2. Caretaker boss Paddy McCarthy said: “Maybe if those first couple of chances had come it might have been a different story.” Asked whether he was keen on the job full-time he added: “I’m interested in anything this football club needs me to do. I’ve been at the club for 15 years and I’ll do whatever they need me to do.”