25 March 2023 , 22:30
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Bukayo Saka reckons Pep Guardiola may have helped turn Arsenal into winners.
The Manchester City manager sold Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus to the Gunners last summer - and his defending champions now face a fight to retain the title after falling eight points behind Mikel Arteta’s men. Saka will come up against Zinchenko when England face Ukraine at Wembley in a Euro qualifier.
And the brilliant 21-year-old winger said: “Zinchenko has brought quality - but he’s brought so much more. You can see how he plays and how he controls the game. He’s an outstanding player. He has great leadership qualities, so he’s really helping us on all fronts.
“They (Zinchenko and Jesus) have brought that winning mentality to us as players who have been there and won the league. In difficult moments they know how it feels, they can encourage us, because we have a lot of young players. They really help us with the mental side of things.”
Arsenal swooped on the Etihad by spending £75 million to seal deals for Zinchenko and Brazilian striker Jesus after they had helped City win their fourth title in five years.
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Zinchenko’s achievements are even more admirable given that his country was plunged into war 13 months ago by a Russian invasion. The full-back allowed his emotions about the conflict spill over last season. Saka added: “No-one can ever understand what Oleks is going through.
Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have boosted Arsenal's title charge (Getty Images)“He’s a man of incredible mental strength. To be able to get his mind on the game and to perform so well for Arsenal and his country is a big credit to him. He’s got a bit of fire about him and he uses it in ways that help him.
“I haven’t had any conversations with him about the war, but if he wants to speak about it, I’m here to listen and to help him in any way I can. Oleks is a character. He’s my team-mate - but not on Sunday.”
Saka showed his own qualities as England opened their qualifying campaign by beating defending European champions Italy 2-1 in Naples on Thursday night.
He gave Roberto Mancini’s team a torrid examination in the first half and then took on a more defensive role as the home team came storming back. It was England’s first win over the Azzurri on Italian soil for 62 years.
Saka, who missed a penalty when England lost to Italy in a shoot-out two years ago, said: “In the end it was really difficult. But we showed that we have that character and fight to win the game in different ways.
“I’m just happy to be back in an England shirt. Being back to winning ways is important. We also showed that we can win not just by playing brilliant attacking football like we did in the first half, but in the second half by digging deep.”