Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has ranked fourth in talkSPORT’s 15 most valuable young players in football list.

Saka ranked fourth in the list, valued at a whopping £105.1 million by talkSPORT. The only three players to finish above him were Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland.

Only four players were valued over £100 million, showing how highly rated Saka is, with 5th placed Jamal Musiala being valued at £96.3 million by talkSPORT.

Arsenal team mate Gabriel Martinelli also made the list, but way back in 15th place, valued at £70 million.

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Saka has made 17 appearances for Arsenal this campaign, scoring six goals, providing eight assists and totalling 1,332 minutes of football.

He is a big reason that Arsenal are doing so well in the Premier League, sitting 3rd place on 27 points, but joint on points with Liverpool who are 2nd, and one point off title defenders Manchester City on 28.

The 22-year-old is a key piece for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, featuring in all 38 Premier League games last campaign, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists, helping Arsenal to a runner up finish in the league.

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England only managed a draw in their final game of EURO Qualifying, in a 1-1 draw with North Macedonia.

The attack for England was very flat on the day, struggling to create clear cut opportunities, and going behind in the first half, they managed to fight back and get a draw, but overall the performance wasn’t good enough from Gareth Southgate’s men.

Read on for our England player ratings, and who stood out for the Three Lions…

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Jordan Pickford – 7 – Made two saves, including saving a penalty but the rebound was scored, not much else he could do.

Rico Lewis – 7 – Very unfortunate to give the penalty away, other than that thought he made a good account, making two tackles, making one key pass and completing 59/59 passes.

Harry Maguire – 6 – Completed five of his eleven long balls, and only had a pass completion of 84%, however he did win 5/6 aerial duels.

Marc Guehi – 6 – Made one tackle, won 2/3 ground duels and made two of his three long balls, but only won 1/5 aerial duels.

Kyle Walker – 7 – Recovered well when needed for England, making two interceptions, one tackle and one block, he also went forwards well, made one key pass, and completed both of his long balls attempted.

Declan Rice – 7.5 – Solid in the middle for England, made one key pass and kept it simple with a 96% pass accuracy. Also won 4/6 ground duels and made four tackles.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6 – Wasn’t at his best, only made one key pass and that is what he is in there for. Failed all three of his long ball attempts and only completed one of his five crosses.

Phil Foden – 7.5 – Was very involved, and looked the most dangerous for England going forward. Drifting around picking up the ball, completed two key passes, created one big chance and completed two of his three dribble attempts.

Jack Grealish – 7 – Was nice and direct when he got the ball on the flank, made two key passes and completed seven of his eight dribbles. Marginally offside for his goal which was correctly ruled out.

Ollie Watkins – 5 – Barely got involved in the game, only played 58 minutes and only managed 10 touches.

Bukayo Saka – 6 – Did make two key passes, but could’ve done more on that right hand side. Nearly had an assist for Grealish’s disallowed goal, but did fail both of his other cross attempts, and only completed one successful dribble out of three.

Subs: Harry Kane 7, Cole Palmer N/A, Marcus Rashford N/A, Kalvin Phillips N/A.

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England thought they had equalised against North Macedonia, as Bukayo Saka combined with Jack Grealish. However after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was given offside.

Saka did really well inside the 18-yard box, beating his man and putting a lovely ball towards the back stick for Grealish to attack, which he did, turning it in from close range.

However it appears Grealish had just strayed offside, therefore the goal was disallowed, and North Macedonia remain 1-0 up against the Three Lions.

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??| GOAL: Grealish equalises for England.

North Macedonia 1-1 England

pic.twitter.com/uzRuXKIVcP

— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) November 20, 2023

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England have beaten Malta 2-0, on rather flat evening for the Three Lions. However an own goal and a Harry Kane goal earnt England a victory and three points.

Rice had one chalked off, which would have made it 3-0 England, but that would have been a rather flattering scoreline for the performance from the Three Lions.

Read on for our England player ratings, and who stood out for the Three Lions…

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Jordan Pickford – 6 – Didn’t have to make a save, and only made the one punch, made 41/41 passes but was un tested so can’t be rated higher.

Fikayo Tomori – 6 – Taken off at half time, played in a slightly unfamiliar left back role, becoming a back three in possession. Made two tackles and completed four out five long balls.

Harry Maguire – 6.5 – Kept a clean sheet of course, and made two clearances and one block. Also completed 10/10 long balls, and won 7/7 aerial duels.

Marc Guehi – 6 – Not to much to do, made two interceptions and made 103/106 accurate passes, with 7/8 long balls.

Kieran Trippier – 6 – Managed two tackles, one clearance and one interception at right back, also making one key pass and completing 5/5 long balls.

Conor Gallagher – 5 – Subbed at half time to bring on the more attacking Bukayo Saka, worked hard and won some duels in midfield, however was a little sloppy in possession on a few occasions.

Jordan Henderson – 5 – Subbed after 61 minutes, played 2/2 long balls and won 2/4 ground duels. Didn’t offer enough in the middle of the park when playing out.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7 – Could have created more but did get forward in central midfield, getting four shots off (two on target) and making one key pass.

Marcus Rashford – 5 – Subbed after 61 minutes, struggled to get himself in the game, had one shot which was blocked and only completed 2/6 of his dribbles.

Harry Kane – 7.5 – Scored the goal to give England a 2-0 lead, and allow them breathing room. However wasn’t as involved as he could have been, only having 34 touches.

Phil Foden – 8 – Tried to make things happen whenever he got the ball, made three key passes, completed 4/4 dribbles and looked the most dangerous player on the pitch.

Subs: Bukayo Saka 7, Kyle Walker 6 , Cole Palmer 6 , Declan Rice 6

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Former Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre remains unconcerned about Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard’s “small dip” in form, emphasising the team’s readiness to contend for the Premier League title.

Odegaard, who has been dealing with a hip problem according to manager Mikel Arteta, has scored three goals, two from the penalty spot, and registered one assist in nine Premier League appearances this season.

The four-time Premier League winner provided insights into why he believes Arsenal has faced challenges in scoring as prolifically as the previous season. Additionally, he addressed Ødegaard’s recent dip in form and discussed the potential for Nketiah to evolve into a more dependable player for the Gunners.

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“I don’t think there’s a specific reason for the lack of creativity. Teams are finding ways to control the space that Saka, Ødegaard and Martinelli like to occupy,” Silvestre said via bettingexpert.com.

While acknowledging the slight downturn, the former defender expresses confidence in Odegaard’s ability to recover and contribute positively to Arsenal’s campaign.

The ex-Gunner stated: “It’s just a little dip in form and he has the mental ability to come back to his best and be the leader for this season for Arsenal.”

Last season the Norwegian international found the back of the net 15 times and set up seven teammates in 37 Premier League starts, it was this sort of form that got many people believing Arsenal could lift the title come the end of the term. However, the form could not be maintained and Manchester City were relentless in their pursuit of the North London club.

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Arsenal are awaiting news on the injury front with three potential players unavailable as they prepare to face Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Arsenal injury news

In their recent UEFA Champions League match against Sevilla, Arsenal secured a 2-0 victory with goals from Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka. However, Saka picked up a knock and had to be substituted in the second half, casting doubt on his availability for Saturday’s game, as Gunners’ manager Mikel Arteta confirmed in his press conference that he didn’t train on Thursday.

Defender Takehrio Tomiyasu was also withdrawn during the Sevilla match, coming off at half-time due to a minor fitness concern.

Additionally, striker Eddie Nketiah missed the midweek game due to an ankle injury sustained against Newcastle United last weekend, leading to Leandro Trossard taking his place. Arsenal supporters may now be worried by the potential unavailability of all three players for the upcoming Saturday fixture.

Burnley injury news

For Burnley, Hjalmar Ekdal recently returned from a knee injury and featured in an Under-21s game against Sheffield United last week. He wasn’t the only player making a comeback; winger Manuel Benson also saw his first minutes on the pitch since the end of September.

Aaron Ramsey is expected to continue being sidelined, while Michael Obafemi is still working on his recovery from a long-term hamstring injury.

A win for the Gunners on Saturday would result in them joining Manchester City on 27 points before Pep Guardiola’s men kick-off against Chelsea on Sunday.

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Arsenal have had a difficult season with injuries, and there were two new concerns for Mikel Arteta to contend with after the win over Sevilla in the Champions League last night.

The Gunners won 2-0 against Sevilla thanks to goals from Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka, but there was a worry later in the game as Saka hobbled off.

According to the Evening Standard, the England international is now set to be assessed by Arsenal, as well as Takehiro Tomiyasu, another player who went off against Sevilla.

On top of that, Arsenal were also without Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah in their game yesterday, and the Standard suggests both players are pushing to return to action this weekend when the Gunners take on Burnley.

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Arsenal are also without the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey, while summer signing Jurrien Timber has barely played for the club since his summer move from Ajax due to picking up a serious injury on his Premier League debut.

Arsenal fans will hope for some better luck before long because it’s going to be hard enough to compete with Manchester City this season even with a fully fit squad.

The post Arsenal injury update as Saka & Tomiyasu to be assessed while duo push to return vs Burnley appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal have moved into a 2-0 lead in their Champions League match with Sevilla courtesy of some Bukayo Saka brilliance. 

The Gunners took the lead in the first half through a Leandro Trossard goal and have been comfortable throughout the whole match.

That is now showing on the scoreline as Saka scored a brilliant goal to make it 2-0 as the winger turned his opponent inside out before finishing clinically.

This should give Mikel Arteta’s side all three points and put them on the brink of qualifying for the Last 16.

That is quality from Bukayo Saka ?

He doubles the lead for Arsenal ??#UCL pic.twitter.com/mqidHT6xA1

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 8, 2023

Bukayo Saka with the cutback and finish. ???

The 22-year-old is COOKING at The Emirates. ? pic.twitter.com/zIX4Ko77b7

— CBS Sports Golazo ?? (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 8, 2023

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The post Video: Bukayo Saka brilliantly turns Sevilla star inside out to give Arsenal 2-0 lead appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a potential January approach for Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto.

That’s according to recent reports, which claim the Gunners are keen to add the Italian winger to their squad as a way to bolster their attack heading into the second half season.

Not only that but with Bukayo Saka unlikely to play every single game for Mikel Arteta, the Englishman is without a doubt in need of some competition and cover, and Gnonto could be the ideal signing.

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Despite playing in the Championship with Leeds, the 20-year-old has not been shy in his eagerness to return to top-flight football, and of course, with Arsenal among the top clubs in England at the moment, the teenager would almost definitely jump at the chance to move to the Emirates.

Manchester City are also thought to be keeping a close eye on the Leeds United number 29.
During his time at Leeds, Gnonto, who signed from FC Zurich in 2022, has directly contributed to 10 goals in 38 games in all competitions.

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had plenty to say about the VAR decision that he felt cost his side the game against Newcastle on Saturday, but the truth is that it looks like his post-match rant is little more than a convenient distraction from the fact that the changes he’s made this season have taken his team backwards.

Many will have had Arsenal as one of the title favourites this season, with the signing of Declan Rice from West Ham during the summer showing huge ambition to pull off against their bitter rivals Manchester City. Rice aside, however, the Gunners have not spent their money particularly well, and it’s allowed both Liverpool and Tottenham to overtake them as more likely rivals to Pep Guardiola’s treble winners this term.

Arsenal were truly excellent last season and may well have won the title if not for William Saliba’s injury meaning Rob Holding had to fill in for so many important games – an enforced change that looks even worse now with the benefit of hindsight as Saliba has returned to fitness and form while Holding has barely kicked a ball since his summer move to Crystal Palace.

So while last year was no fluke, there was a huge opportunity here for Arsenal, and it’s starting to look like they haven’t taken it: losing Granit Xhaka, one of their players of the season, seems all the more baffling after his tremendous start at Bayer Leverkusen, while Kai Havertz’s signing never really looked like it made sense and still doesn’t, while big questions have to be asked of Arteta for bringing in David Raya as his new number one when Aaron Ramsdale had a perfectly good season in 2022/23.

Of course, Arsenal have had some awful luck with injuries which shouldn’t be forgotten – Jurrien Timber, most cruelly, didn’t even last his full Premier League debut and will be fortunate to play any meaningful role this season. Elsewhere, Gabriel Jesus has only played a handful of games, following on from some fitness issues last term as well. Thomas Partey also can’t seem to stay fit, begging the question once again as to why it was Xhaka rather than him who was shown the door over the summer.

The continued absence of Jesus has meant more playing time for Eddie Nketiah – a popular figure at the Emirates Stadium after rising up through the club’s academy, but not a striker who is ever likely to be good enough for a title-challenging team. Hat-tricks against teams like Sheffield United will of course bring a cheer to the Emirates crowd, but it’s pretty worthless when he can’t seem to score away from home or make much of an impact against teams in the top half. There’s no guarantee Folarin Balogun would have been a better option, but you could again forgive Arsenal fans for asking if they sold the right striker this summer.

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Nov 24 2023, 11:35

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Nov 24 2023, 11:30

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All in all, it’s not looking good for Arteta and he knows it. “There’s so much at stake here … it’s so difficult to compete at this level,” the Spanish tactician said after the game, almost hinting that Newcastle’s controversial goal may already have cost his side the title this year – but the truth is arguably more frustrating than that: Arsenal were in a position to take a positive step forward, but, for whatever reason, ended up over-thinking it and reinventing the wheel when the old one was rolling along quite nicely in the right direction.

We all know it took Manchester City a bit of time to get going last season as they continued to trail Arsenal in the title race, and some Gooners may comfort themselves that a similar phenomenon is occurring here and that the tide could change in particular once Partey and Jesus are available again, and if Timber can return earlier can expected, but the truth is that for all the faith placed in Raya and Havertz, Arsenal are not yet seeing any kind of return on their summer investment – unless those two can really step up soon, that will be where Arteta and co. have to look back and take some responsibility for their own poor decision-making.

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