Bukayo Saka continued his prolific form with a brace as Arsenal extended their dominant scoring streak by thrashing Burnley. The Gunners’ win narrows the gap at the top of the Premier League table to a mere two points.
Following a 6-0 away victory over West Ham, Arsenal quickly resumed their offensive mastery. Captain Martin Odegaard opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a precise strike into the corner, assisted by Gabriel Martinelli.
Saka doubled the lead, converting a penalty after Lorenz Assignon’s foul on Leandro Trossard. The England forward struck again soon after the break, latching onto Odegaard’s clever pass, cutting inside, and firing a powerful shot into the net.
Trossard, alert after Kai Havertz’s blocked effort, curled in Arsenal’s fourth goal – his third in as many league matches. Jakub Kiwior’s long throw found an unmarked Havertz, who slipped past Burnley’s defense and drilled past goalkeeper James Trafford to seal the comprehensive victory.
Arsenal, boasting 21 goals in five consecutive wins, reduce the deficit behind leaders Liverpool to two points. Burnley remain mired in the relegation zone.
Rampant Gunners Firm in the Title Race
Building on their resounding win at London Stadium last week, the Gunners secured a fifth consecutive league victory at the start of a calendar year – a historic first for the club. Arsenal overwhelmed Burnley with their dynamic attacking football.
The in-form Gunners could have added further to their tally, with Trossard twice threatening before he found the net. Havertz consistently exploited spaces with his intelligent movement, while Saka, Trossard, and Martinelli tormented Burnley’s defense with their fluid rotations.
Odegaard offered an exemplary performance, scoring his first goal since December and assisting Saka’s second. Saka, now with six goals in his last four league appearances, has never been more prolific for Arsenal. Arteta’s side is proving difficult to contain when playing at their best.
Arsenal’s defence matched their attacking potency, earning a second consecutive top-flight clean sheet – a noteworthy feat this season.
Mikel Artera was full of praise for his team, who is on a rampage mode after they restarted their campaign in 2024 following an unexpected slip up.
“The contribution of every single player has been very, very good and the fact that the team looked like it wanted more. They weren’t satisfied, they wanted to score more and didn’t want to concede a goal, so I’m really pleased to see that consistency.” The boss said in his post match reaction.
The Spaniard was specifically happy about captain Odegard’s and Saka’s impact in the game.
When questioned about Saka’s maturity, Artera said: “We already see him (as a senior player) especially forward players, wingers with a level of consistency and numbers (he has) is something really strange to find, but it’s not a coincidence, that’s for sure. When you look at him every single day, the way he trains, the way he applies himself, the qualities that he has, and he can do more.”
The Gunners face Porto in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday before welcoming Newcastle next Saturday (20:00 GMT), aiming to uphold their flawless start to 2024.
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