-
Rio Ferdinand summarizes the main distinction between Bukayo Saka and Manchester United’s floundering forwards.
.
Rio Ferdinand has applauded Arsenal’s “fearless” Bukayo Saka and suggested Manchester United’s wingers may take notes from his approach to the game.
The 21-year-old has been in excellent form lately, scoring the game-winning goal in each of his team’s previous three matches across all competitions for the Gunners.
Saka scored twice against Liverpool, including the game-winning penalty, after the new season got off to a shaky start, followed by his fortunate winner against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League.
With the game-winning goal against Leeds on Sunday, the Hale End academy graduate put the finishing touches on an incredible week that saw Arsenal increase their lead at the top of the standings to four points.
And according to Ferdinand, Saka should now be a guaranteed starter for the Three Lions at the World Cup taking place in a month after finishing the eighth last night in the Kopa Trophy rankings for the finest Under-21 player in the world.
He told Vibe: ‘In this form, you can’t look past Saka on that right-wing spot. I think in an England shirt he does as well.
‘He’s a winger who when he gets it, I’ve watched him a couple of times live this year as well, his first instinct and intention is to go past you. We spoke to Nani and he told us that was his intention.
As soon as he got the ball one vs one, he was looking to beat the full-back. I love that about him, he’s got no fear, he’s playing with a bit more maturity every time I see him.
‘He’s in a good vein of form with a club that’s in a good vein of form. He’s confident and if he’s in that mode getting into the World Cup I don’t see anyone starting in front of him.’
RELATED:
- Benzema recounts how Real Madrid president made him reject Barcelona
- Toni Kroos blasts Ballon d’Or 2022 organizers over Man City’s win
- Real Madrid President Perez comments on Mbappe after PSG star demands transfer
While Saka at Arsenal continues to improve, United’s wide players are still finding it difficult to understand the tactical demands of their new manager Erik ten Hag.
Despite scoring in three successive games for his new club, summer signing Antony was urged to show more variation by Ten Hag ahead of Sunday’s game against Newcastle during which he struggled to make a telling impact.
While teenager Antony Elanga hasn’t started a Premier League game since September 1, Jadon Sancho has struggled to consistently regain the form he showed at Borussia Dortmund.
‘We don’t seem to have the imagination in those areas,’ Ferdinand bemoaned. ‘We used to give it to Nani, Giggsy, to Becks even, give it to Antonio Valencia or Cristiano when he’s wide. Get him in a one-on-one situation, either with a good ball from Scholes or Carrick etc, get them one vs one and do your thing.
‘At the moment we get in those positions and unfortunately for us, our wide players are turning away from that, they’re not killing full-backs, they’re not skinning them.
‘The best teams wait for that moment in a game, you might only get two or three of those moments where they stand the full-back up, Saka does it at the moment as well as anyone in the league, and say right I’m going to ghost you.
‘At the moment our wide players aren’t doing that. Parts of their game are working functionally, other than the City game, they’re getting into a good shape, defensively they are doing well but it’s when we have the ball and want them to do that little bit of cherry on the top stuff. We aren’t getting that now.’