Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka insists he is not concerned about burnout and is ready to answer manager Mikel Arteta’s challenge of playing 70 games this season.
The England winger, 22, captained the Gunners to a 5-0 victory over Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon to keep them within two points of the top of the Premier League.
Saka has started all-but one of Arsenal’s Premier League and Champions League games this season, sitting out the victory over Manchester City with a hamstring complaint.
Missing the win ended a streak of 87 successive league appearances for Saka, stretching back to May 2021.
Saka’s durability has been an asset for club and country as Arteta called for him to keep playing and contributing to Arsenal’s quest for silverware.
“Look at the top players in the world, they play 70 matches and every three days and make the difference and win the game. You want to be at the top, you have to be able to do that,” the Spanaird said last year.
Saka, who notched up 62 appearances for both Arsenal and England last season, believes he can produce the kind of numbers Arteta is demanding.
“I think it’s possible,” Saka said. “When you look at the top players, they are there every three days and they are winning games for their team.
“So I’m trying to be at that level, and to obviously be at that level I need to push myself. Of course, it’s difficult, but I’m trying to do it and give it my best.
“I think I’m really focused on the next coming games and what I can do for the team. My focus is not really there (on talk of potentially burning out).
“I’m a guy who always wants to be on the pitch, always wants to give my best, and if I’m injured and I have to be forced to be out, then of course I will sit out.
“But as long I’m there and I’m ready to play, I am always going to give my best and tell them that I want to play.”
Saka is expected to be rested as Arteta shuffles his pack for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round trip to West Ham.
But he could once again be sporting the captain’s armband when Arsenal travel to Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday, with skipper Martin Odegaard nursing a hip problem and regular stand-in Gabriel Jesus out with a hamstring injury.
“It was a really special moment for me,” Saka said of leading out Arsenal as captain for the first time.
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“To be honest, I can’t really describe how I was feeling when I was walking out. I just tried to take in the atmosphere and just realise where I am and where I’ve come from.
“Then obviously I had to switch my focus to the game and we did, and we got the three points – which is the most important thing at the end of the day.
“We are close to the top of the table in the Premier League, we are top of our Champions League group and we are still in all the other competitions.
“I think that is something we can be proud of, but I agree there is another level for us to go to. We are pushing.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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