Bukayo Saka: 'My corner kicks were terrible'

Arsenal continued to hold the Premier League summit after a slim 1-0 win against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday evening (18/10). Yet, Saka expressed dissatisfaction with one specific part of his display.

Before this match, Arsenal faced heavy pressure as Manchester City defeated Everton 2-0 with a brace from Erling Haaland to temporarily take the lead. Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta’s squad responded like true title contenders: playing tightly, patiently, and ruthlessly finishing the opponent with a set-piece moment.

In the only goal of the game, Saka took a corner from the right side, which was headed on by defender Gabriel Magalhaes, allowing Trossard to score against the hosts. However, when interviewed by Sky Sports after the match, Saka did not praise himself but instead showed some frustration:

Saka said: “At the start, my corner kicks were rubbish, I was quite disappointed. But I kept going and by the fourth one, it was better, Gabriel touched it and we scored. I’m really happy about that.”

When asked why he rated his corners so poorly, Saka just smiled and replied: “Can’t you tell?” He also confirmed that Arsenal spent a lot of time practicing set-pieces and were pleased their efforts paid off.

This victory was significant for Arsenal, especially since they had not won in their last two visits to Craven Cottage (losing 1-2 in 2023 and drawing 1-1 the previous season). Saka emphasized:

“We understand the expectations on us. We didn’t start as well as we wanted but learned from previous times we didn’t win here. Today, we showed we can win even when we’re not at our best.”

The 24-year-old star also highlighted Arsenal’s clear mindset this season: “Winning under all circumstances. Sometimes we dominate, sometimes we have to defend. Whatever happens, the goal is to win.”

After the match against Fulham, Arsenal will face three consecutive home games at Emirates: hosting Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, then Crystal Palace and Brighton in the Premier League, a great chance to extend their lead over the chasing pack.

Related article

Saka makes history with England Forward Bukayo Saka reached a memorable milestone after scoring to help England defeat Wales. See more