Arsenal star Bukayo Saka stole the show with a stunning goal and crucial role in their tense 3-2 victory over bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The young winger’s post-match comments offer valuable insights into Arsenal’s mentality, the pressures of the title race, and the significance of fan support in their quest for the Premier League trophy.

The North London Derby, always a fiery affair, lived up to its reputation as Arsenal narrowly beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2.

After scoring a superb goal to put Arsenal 2-0 up, Saka was instrumental in the nail-biting final minutes as Spurs mounted their comeback. Yet, the 22-year-old’s post-match interview revealed remarkable focus and composure.

“The last 20 minutes weren’t nice,” Saka admitted. “But it was worth it. We know it’s a big derby and they don’t want to lose 3-0 at home so once they got one, the crowd was up, they was up, and the momentum shifted their way. But, I’m proud of all the boys who fought to their end, and we got the three points.”

"It means everything"

Bukayo Saka reacts to beating Spurs in the North London derby 🔴⚪ pic.twitter.com/ScMxPVDJPF

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 28, 2024

Key takeaways from Saka’s interview

• Fan appreciation: Saka acknowledges the vital role fans play in fuelling their drive: “Yeah, very nice moment [with the fans at the end of the match]. We know what it means to the fans and what it means to us, so yeah, we’re delighted.”
• Title challenge: He understands the stakes of their current position: “[This win] It means everything and we know this is a massive win for us and we’ve got three to go and we’re going to give it everything and see where it leads us.”
• Composure under pressure: Despite the frenetic final minutes, Saka emphasises the need for calm: “We just need to be calm. Obviously, everything’s quite frantic. I think we showed our level heads at the end and I’m proud of everyone to get the win.”
• Lessons learned: The young star reflects on the growth from last season’s title race, hinting at how past disappointments have hardened their resolve: “There’s not much room for error, they’ve [City] showed that last year and the years before. We’ve got experience now, we learned our lessons last year and we’re ready for the last few games.”
• Focus, focus, focus: Ultimately, Saka reveals the team’s singular goal: “I enjoyed it, I enjoyed it. But the most important for me is a trophy.”

The bigger picture

Saka’s performance on the pitch and his words after the match embody the transformation Arsenal has undergone. They’ve developed a fighting spirit to complement their quality, and now possess the experience to navigate high-pressure situations and if they don’t manage to win the Premier League this season, few would bet against them next year.

As Saka remarks on the ongoing-at-the-time-of-writing City-Forest match, his plans were to “Shower, get on the bus, put the City-Forest game on and hope for the best.

“City are an amazing team, but they’re not perfect. No one’s perfect. They can drop points.

“We just need to do our job and see where it leads, obviously.”