Bukayo Saka scored two goals for the England u19s this week, as well as assisting one, and his finishes have drawn comparisons between the youngster and Leroy Sane.
Making his first start for the England u19s, against the Czech Republic, Saka scored two very similar goals in each half. In both cases, he made a wide run into space alongside the Czech defence, before pushing into the middle in behind the defenders and finishing with his stronger left foot.
— aymen (@aymenvids) March 22, 2019
The two goals drew some comparisons from followers of the England youth teams to Manchester City’s Leroy Sane, particularly after photos of Saka’s technique for the goals emerged.
56 minutes. England U19s 3-1 Czech Republic U19s.
2nd for Bukayo Saka. pic.twitter.com/KG7qotJfvW
— Rowd (@RowdenJRSG) March 20, 2019
Though it’s far too early to tell whether Saka can have the kind of impact on senior football that Sane is having with Manchester City, it’s not completely ridiculous to compare their styles of play.
Both are left-footed players who mostly play on the left-hand side, meaning they spend less time cutting in and more making runs around the outside. That means they’re very good at putting crosses into the box, but they can also both use their pace to get in behind the defence and finish.
Then there’s the fact they both have excellent close control and an ability to beat a defender facing them up. As mentioned, Saka still has a long way to go to reach the same level, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to try and follow in Sane’s footsteps over the coming years.
Check out the highlights from Saka’s season so far with the Arsenal academy below: