Mikel Arteta compares Arsenal star to Lionel Messi after Wolves victory

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted he saw shades of Lionel Messi in Bukayo Saka's goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

After providing the assist for Kai Havertz's opener, Saka bagged his own goal after the break, cutting in from the right wing and unleashing a fierce strike which fizzed beyond Jose Sa into the back of the net.

While the sight of Saka cutting inside on to his left foot is nothing new, Arteta insisted defenders' inability to stop him is reminiscent of Messi's quality on the ball.

"With good players it's like that, with Messi I know he's gonna come here and put the ball there," said Arteta. "But he does it all the time. You can't stop him. That's the quality of the player."

Arteta went on to confess he considered leaving Saka out of Arsenal's starting lineup after his short pre-season but, alongside both Declan Rice and David Raya, found the winger determined to turn out for his club.

"You have to really understand where they are, what they need, to give them some space and let them breathe," Arteta said of the trio. "They went through a lot and those kids have played a lot of football in the last two years.

"But when you see that willingness, that energy to say 'I'm really, really happy to be back' and you see that’s genuine, it's a good sign.

"I'm not surprised. That's their mentality. Straight after the [final], they said 'I'm going to be ready for the first game'.

"I spoke to them in the summer to try to arrange their best plan. They wanted to be early, they wanted to be back. They were already getting prepared. This is the mentality we know we need. If players are doing that, that compromise will grow around the team and they will step up the level. That's what we need."

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