For two years, he has tried unsuccessfully, but he doesn’t intend to give up. In fact, Bukayo Saka believes – or perhaps just hopes – that this season will be the one where Arsenal dethrones Manchester City.He didn’t manage it in the previous two seasons, although he came close. Very close, but in both instances, Arsenal faltered towards the end of the title race. He’s neither the first nor the last to aim at Pep Guardiola’s team and face such a fate. However, the London club has learned from those defeats, aiming to end City’s dominance. It seems they’ve come back stronger, sharper, hungrier. This was hinted at about ten days ago when they were just seconds away from winning at the Etihad, a victory they’ve been waiting for nine years, and it was confirmed again on Tuesday evening when they defeated Paris Saint-Germain at home.##NAJAVA_MECA_8388989##The results from the start of the season, especially those two mentioned, have given Arsenal players reason to believe that the title, after more than two decades, might finally return to the Emirates.”I don’t want to put too much pressure on us, but I think this is the year,” Saka said candidly in an interview with CBS after the victory over Paris Saint-Germain. “We were close in the last two years, and we are getting closer, but yes – I hope this is the year. I feel a great hunger inside. In previous years, we were runners-up, but I want to celebrate this season, and I really believe in myself.”UCL: Arteta’s mean machine runs over his former clubWhat Arsenal had been lacking since Arteta’s arrival was the scalp of a big club. Last season, they didn’t face any serious rivals – Sevilla, PSV, Lens, Porto – until the quarterfinals, where Bayern eliminated them. However, last night’s triumph, almost routine, against last year’s Champions League semifinalist Paris Saint-Germain, was a message to other “heavyweights” to take Arsenal seriously, if they hadn’t already.”When I spoke to the guys before the match, I told them, ‘Today, we have to send a message to the others.’ When we played in Europe against big teams, we didn’t always show our full quality and usual standard, but we did tonight at home,” added the Gunners’ winger.Bukayo Saka needs 8 more goals to break into the top 100 all time Premier League top goal scorers table.Bukayo Saka needs 10 more assists to break into the top 50 all time Premier League assists table. Bukayo Saka only just turned 23 years old.— Monty (@AFC_Monty_) October 3, 2024 Arsenal’s coach Mikel Arteta also agreed that his team needed a victory like last night’s.”I think so. Such victories create special nights, incredible European evenings against big clubs. That belief is something that lifts the energy and spirit of everyone. Above all, it’s the belief that you can face those incredible teams and have a real chance to beat them, that you’re good enough to do it. This win will be really valuable,” Arteta said.The Spaniard pointed out that he feels a change in his team compared to last season.”I sensed something different in them yesterday in the way we prepared for the match. I think tonight they also wanted to prove that at home, against a top team, we can be ourselves and be very dominant. This is just another step, and we must keep going,” added Arteta.
