Arsenal head into Saturday night's clash at Sunderland after an ominously strong start to the season. The Gunners made it three wins out of three in the Premier League with last weekend's impressive victory over expected title rivals Chelsea.
Mikel Arteta's side then began their Champions League campaign with a win, despite spurning a host of chances, thanks to Martin Odegaard's winner. Next, they face Granit Xhaka's Sunderland, who have four points from four games.
Saka 'getting away with it'
Former Gunners winger Jermaine Pennant has delivered a damning assessment of Bukayo Saka, reckoning the Hale End graduate's stats don't stand up to scrutiny. Pennant told GOAL: "If you start touting players as world-class, one of the best wingers in the world or the best winger in the Premier League, then you've got to be in those numbers. I would say it's non-negotiable."
"If you look at Mohamed Salah, he did it for nine years straight. In the bracket of goal contributions, it's plus 20," Pennant added. "I think he [Saka] does get away with a bit of murder at times, the numbers and his stats. He can put in some absolutely stellar performances but if you look deep and you start digging deep and you look at his stats, compared to top wingers around the globe and who played in the Premier League as well, they fall quite short."
Arteta plays 'bad cop'
Arteta said someone has to play "bad cop" in response to Gabriel Jesus' criticism of his Arsenal departure. Jesus, who joined Barcelona at the end of the window, said in an interview with SportyTV this week that "out of nowhere they put me to train apart from the group", adding that "nobody told me nothing."
Arteta used Leandro Trossard's presence in the stands to watch the win over Chelsea as an example of the club's bond with its former players. Trossard was sold to Besiktas in July. Arteta was also asked about Ian Wright's recent comment that he was "uncomfortable" with what he perceived to be a lack of dialogue with Gabriel Martinelli, who moved to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal earlier this month.
Arteta said: "Very surprised [to hear], to be fair, especially because with Gabi [Jesus]. I had an individual talk in the dressing room. I don't know what words were said, [but] it's fine. The words that we used were all about gratitude."
"I don't know, it's OK. Sometimes I understand that when you have to deliver bad news, or news that people don't expect, somebody has to be the bad cop. If I have to be, I have to be and I understand."
