Bukayo Saka has acknowledged that Arsenal aimed to make a statement to their Premier League title rivals by dominating West Ham United with a 6-0 victory over the weekend.
Following their recent 3-1 triumph against Liverpool, Arsenal showcased their prowess by delivering an exceptional performance against West Ham, remaining within two points of Jurgen Klopp’s side at the league’s summit.
Saka, who missed a crucial penalty in the previous season’s draw against West Ham that ended Arsenal’s title challenge, was determined to avoid a repeat this time.
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“We knew this was a significant game, and winning it was crucial for sending a message,” he remarked. “Scoring six goals and maintaining a clean sheet was an excellent achievement. Despite media comparisons, I stay focused on my own targets for the season.”
Reflecting on his penalty, Saka shared, “If you’re a penalty taker, no one scores every single penalty. While I’m not pleased to miss, I recognize it’s part of the game. When I won the penalty, I was prepared to take it again and score. Lessons in my career have taught me to learn and grow stronger.”
Saka’s penalty on Sunday, putting Arsenal 2-0 ahead, held a symbolic significance, allowing him to rectify the previous season’s miss.
With a trip to Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday and the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Porto the following Wednesday, Arsenal looks forward to maintaining their momentum.