Bukayo Saka delivers for Arsenal – it’s just a fact of life.
And when the Gunners take on Leicester City on Saturday, his exceptional ability to step up when it matters could see him set a Premier League first.
Already this season, despite the north Londoners dropping points against Man City and Brighton, the winger has been vital for his side.
In every single Premier League game so far, the 23-year-old England star has made one assist.
Those came against Wolves, Aston Villa, Brighton, Tottenham, and last weekend against Man City.
The assist for Gabriel’s goal against their title rivals at the weekend proved key as the Gunners held onto a 2-2 draw.
And it saw Saka become just the second player ever to make in a Premier League club’s first five games of a campaign.
The only other ever player to do it? Arsenal icon Thierry Henry.
However, the legendary French forward wasn’t able to extend that.
And that means Saka could become the first player in Premier League to records an assist in his team’s first six games of a season.
That’s an incredible feat given some of the exceptional players who have graced the English top-flight.
Not even Manchester United hero Ryan Giggs – the Premier League’s leading assist maker (162) managed to do so.
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And neither has Kevin De Bruyne who is in second place, even with goal machines Sergio Aguero and Erling Haaland ahead of him.
Even Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to impress like Saka from the wing in his early Man United days.
Henry set the record in 2004/05 when the Gunners were on a rampant run.
At the tail end of their famous 49-game unbeaten run, Henry got assists in wins over Everton, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Norwich, and Fulham.
However, he was unable to create a goal in a 2-2 draw at home against Bolton Wanderers, although he did score the opening strike of the game.
If Saka managed to create for one of his teammates against Leicester, though, he’ll surpass one of his idols.
In 2020, he said: “He’s a hero to me for what he’s done for my club, what he’s done in football.
“I loved his personality, I loved the way he played, the goals he scored. He’s just an amazing person – he was amazing at football but he’s an amazing person too and that’s probably why he inspires me.”
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