Gary Lineker identifies problem with Bukayo Saka despite him delivering a lot for Arsenal in recent weeks

Former England international Gary Lineker has identified what he believes is a subtle but important issue in Bukayo Saka’s game, despite the winger continuing to deliver for Arsenal in decisive moments.

Saka has been one of Arsenal’s top performers in recent seasons and remains central to the team’s attacking setup. Primarily playing on the right wing, the 24-year-old has consistently been a creative outlet for the North London club. No Arsenal player has created more chances than Saka this season, with the Hale End graduate currently averaging 2.4 per game.

The Gunners defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 in their last Premier League match, and Saka’s creativity was evident yet again as he assisted Martin Odegaard for the first goal.

While Saka’s importance to Mikel Arteta’s squad is undeniable, Lineker has pointed out an area where he feels the youngster could be more effective. Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Lineker admitted that Saka creates so many chances but believes that has deeply impacted his presence in goalscoring positions.

“I think the fact that they’re just getting over the line is because they do get lots of balls into the box. I mean, Saka does deliver a lot, but he’s not really getting on the end of things at the moment,” he said.

It’s almost a month since Saka scored for Arsenal. The Hale End graduate last found the net for the Gunners in a Premier League clash against Brentford earlier this month. So far this season, he has scored seven goals and provided five assists in 24 appearances across all competitions.

Bukayo Saka ends drought after Arsenal's 2-1 win over Brighton

Martin Odegaard’s 14th-minute strike and Georginio Rutter’s own goal in the second half gave Arsenal a crucial victory against the Seagulls on Saturday. Saka teed up Odegaard for the opener and ended an unwanted streak in doing so.

Saka’s assist for Odegaard was his first in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium in over a year. The winger hasn’t registered an assist in a home league match since November 23, 2024, in a clash against Nottingham Forest. As a result, he ended a run of 14 home appearances without an assist in the English top flight.

In addition to setting up Odegaard, Saka delivered an impressive performance in the match. He attempted seven shots at goal in total, the most by a Gunners player all season. To date, he has registered 75 assists in 286 appearances for the club.

Edited by Ezekiel Olamide