Coach Mikel Arteta has confirmed Bukayo Saka will continue to take charge of penalties at Arsenal despite missing a crucial kick against West Ham.
Bukayo Saka failed to convert Arsenal’s 11-meter free kick against West Ham last weekend. The final result was that Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw and were at a disadvantage in the championship race with Man City.
This is the first time Saka has missed a penalty since the Euro 2020 final. Coach Arteta still supports Saka and asserts that this player will still keep the penalty kick in the near future: “He will continue to take penalties. If not then I’ll come on, pass the ball and make sure he takes the next kick.”
Arteta also praised Saka and the way his teammates and fans treated the English player after the missed penalty.
“He likes responsibility but he also carries a lot of burden on his shoulders. There is no doubt how people love, respect and admire him at the club. After all, it could be something positive that could give Saka a morale boost. Because everyone behaves in an unbelievable way towards Saka. He totally deserves this treatment for what he’s done.”
Saka has been explosive for Arsenal this season with 13 goals and 10 assists. Saka has successfully taken 2 penalties against Liverpool and Man City. The English player was a key player and helped Arsenal win the top of the table completely deserved.