Arsenal wing wizard Bukayo Saka has joined Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in an elite group of Premier League players with his brace and assist in Wednesday's 3-0 Champions League win over Monaco.
The 23-year-old continues to elevate his game to new heights under Mikel Arteta and had a direct hand in all three goals against the French side at the Emirates, opening the scoring in the first half with a tidy finish at the back post.
Arsenal should have been out of sight at half time, as Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard both spurned magnificent opportunities to steer the Gunners further clear, and Adi Hutter's men came out all guns blazing at the start of the second period.
However, a mix-up between Monaco defender Mohammed Salisu and goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki allowed Kai Havertz to rob possession back for Arsenal inside the Monegasques box, and Saka curled home his second of the night from close range.
The England international then fizzed a third strike goalwards from a tight angle, which took a couple of deflections on its way into the back of the net, and both he and his Arsenal teammates seemingly could not figure out whose goal it would go down as.
Saka on 21 direct goal involvements for 2024-25 season
© Imago
Even though Monaco defender Thilo Kehrer appeared to get the final touch, the goal was credited to Havertz, denying Saka his hat-trick but also adding another assist to the winger's record.
Thanks to his latest man-of-the-match performance in the Champions League, Saka has become just the second Premier League player this season to register 20 direct goal contributions in all tournaments.
The Hale End graduate has been involved in 21 strikes from as many matches - nine of his own and 12 assists - and only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (28 in total, 16 goals and 12 assists) has also passed the 20 mark for English top-flight players.
Manchester City's Erling Haaland is on the verge of hitting 20, having scored 18 goals while providing one assist so far this season, while Cole Palmer of Chelsea boasts 17 direct involvements, 11 goals and six assists.
Saka's stellar Monaco display came after he was painfully denied a last-gasp winner in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Fulham, the second top-flight game in a row where he has not managed to register a goal or assist.
Arteta makes Saka "brackets" claim after world-class question
© Imago
However, the 23-year-old has now scored and assisted in back-to-back Champions League games, and while Arteta stopped short of directly labelling him world-class, he insisted that the Gunners academy start deserves to be put in certain "brackets".
"You have to be able to do that consistently throughout many years to put yourself in that position," Arteta said at his post-game press conference when asked whether Saka was at a world-class level.
"What he's already done at his age, you can already put in brackets, because we can compare what he's done in his first six years of professional football which is exceptional, you know, and that's it and his aim is to improve. He has the players and environment to continue to do that and I'm sure he will.
"He wasn't able to do that at 17 or 18, or 19, a year or two ago because he has developed in the right way mentally, physically, his condition, his preparation now he has the habit to play every three days, and he's consistently doing that at the highest level.
"I think he needs to continue to do that and for the youngest players, for the other ones and for all of us he is a great example because of how he behaves daily and because what he wants to do with us is to try to have the best version every day and continue to improve."
Arsenal are now on the brink of sealing automatic qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League, sitting third in the 36-team table, and their next engagement comes at home to Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.
Ben Knapton
