Bukayo Saka has come a long way since missing that decisive penalty in the shootout at the European Championship final. More than a year later 바카라 and with his most important spot kick since 바카라 Saka stepped up and coolly converted his effort to give Arsenal a 3-2 win over Liverpool and keep the Gunners at the summit of the Premier League 2022-23. (More Football News)
It wasn바카라t quite the last kick of the game this time, but it had the feel of it. Saka had to wait a couple of minutes as players from both sides got involved in a fracas. And the nerves were building. But he buried it.
바카라I바카라ve been practicing all the time. I don바카라t know what was going on 바카라 a few bits of fighting. I don바카라t know if they were trying to delay or to get into my head. But you know I had what I was going to do in my mind and stuck with it, and happy that it went in.바카라
Saka has taken 바카라 and scored 바카라 other penalties since his miss for England in the Euro 2020 final against Italy at Wembley Stadium in July last year. But it was the significance of Sunday바카라s penalty that earned him plaudits. After all, it returned Arsenal back into first place above Manchester City.
바카라Credit to the boy, especially after what happened over a year ago,바카라 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. Saka had stepped forward ahead of many other older, more experienced players in the Euro 2020 final to take what proved to be England바카라s final penalty, which was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
He received racist abuse over social media in the aftermath but has emerged as one of the best forwards in the Premier League. 바카라That was a difficult moment, that was a difficult learning curve,바카라 Arteta said. 바카라The boy didn바카라t hesitate to continue to take them, under pressure.바카라
The penalty on Sunday, which came after Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara ran his studs down Gabriel Jesus바카라 calf, was Saka바카라s second goal of the match. The England international scored just before halftime to make it 2-1.
The Gunners had a dream start as Gabriel Martinelli scored after 58 seconds but Liverpool grew into the game, with Darwin Núñez equalizing in the 34th minute.
Arsenal restored the team바카라s lead just before halftime in the fifth minute of added time when Saka tapped in from close range to make it 2-1. But the visitors were back on level terms again in the 53rd when substitute Roberto Firmino latched onto a through ball to score from a tight angle to make it 2-2 with his sixth goal of the season.
But it wasn바카라t enough for Liverpool to hold on as the team바카라s poor start to the season continues. Thiago바카라s challenge on Jesus looked innocuous in real time, but replays showed he clearly made contact with his fellow Brazilian.
After Saka바카라s penalty, Arsenal had to buckle down as Liverpool threatened yet another equalizer right at the end. Defenders Ben White and William Saliba jumped into each other바카라s arms at the final whistle as the crowd at Emirates Stadium erupted into chants of 바카라We are top of the league.바카라
Arsenal are in first place with 24 points, a point ahead of Manchester City. With the win over Liverpool and last weekend바카라s victory over fierce rival Tottenham, Arsenal fans are starting to believe this team can go on and win a first league title for the club since 2004.
Liverpool are 14 points off the top in 10th place, putting further pressure on manager Jurgen Klopp as his team has failed to impress this season.
Arteta made the bold choice of picking right-footed Takehiro Tomiyasu instead of Kieran Tierney to play left back to mark Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah. The move paid off, with the Japan defender limiting Salah바카라s usual mazy runs into the box.
The Egypt international has struggled for form this season, like other Liverpool players. The entire team doesn바카라t have the same spark as last season when it was fighting for four major trophies.
Injuries have played their part, but Klopp will need to find solutions quick as Liverpool languishes in midtable. Klopp conceded that Liverpool isn바카라t in the title race. 바카라We바카라re in a tough moment and we want to get through this,바카라 he said.
