Bukayo Saka’s performance in Arsenal’s disappointing Champions League defeat at Porto was below his usual standards.
The Gunners’ starlet was part of an attacking lineup that failed to produce a single shot on target throughout the entire game, marking the first occurrence of such a feat for an Arsenal side in two years.
While some may attribute this display to simply having an off night, there might be a larger issue at play with Saka, one that surfaced last season as well.
Leading up to the match at the Estadio Dragao, Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva acknowledged that he believed Saka appeared fatigued due to the heavy workload of matches. Despite having impressive statistics of 15 goals and 13 assists across all competitions this season, some observers feel that Saka has yet to reach the same level of performance he demonstrated last season.
The Arsenal legend stated to O Jogo: “Saka is the star, although he looks a bit worn out to me. He and Martinelli are very important up front.”
The Brazilian is not the sole Arsenal icon to raise concerns about this issue. Last season, towards the latter part of the campaign, Ian Wright echoed a similar sentiment to Silva’s, advocating for Arteta to give Saka a break to allow him to recharge.
Saka’s performance was a stark contrast from the high level he has displayed in recent weeks. With consecutive braces against West Ham and Burnley leading up to the match, it was inevitable that he would feature for the full 90 minutes in Portugal.