According to Stuart Pearce, while Erling Haaland is breaking record after record in his first season in the Premier League, he may finish second to Bukayo Saka as the season’s best performer. The England legend thinks that, just as Haaland has been to Manchester City’s campaign this season, Saka has been to Arsenal’s.
Pearce can only describe Saka as magnificent in light of the 21-year-old’s brilliance for club and country, saying via Manchester World, “In Saka, they have got arguably the Player of the Season, I think he has been magnificent.
“Manchester City fans will say Haaland, but I think Saka has been the main driving reason why Arsenal are where they are in the division.
Pearce also boldly declared that he has always believed Arsenal will lift the 2022-23 PL crown, saying, “I was asked before the World Cup who I thought would win it, and I said Arsenal, and I am sticking by that now.
“They lost [Gabriel] Jesus, and people thought there would be a problem, but they have been seamless.
On when he feels the league will be decided and which games, he added, “The big game is when they go to Manchester City; that will be critical for the run-in. This weekend, Arsenal have a reasonable game [against Leeds] and City play Liverpool, so it is a key weekend.
“It’s brilliant to watch them to go head-to-head.” Arsenal have their best opportunity ever to win the Premier League. To do so, however, they must outperform Manchester City. Because the defending champions must still compete in the Champions League and the FA Cup, Arsenal can take advantage of City’s busy schedule to win the title. This Arsenal team, as Jesus informed Gabriel Magalhaes when he joined, has what it takes to win the league.
“When he came to Arsenal on the first day, he looked at me and said, if everyone works together, we can win this league,” said Gabriel about his first chat with the Arsenal No. 9 when he joined.
on his first day Gabriel Jesus said “this year we will win the league”
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The thing is Haaland’s done everything he has in a system that really doesn’t even suit his style of play to be honest. I doubt that’s taken into account but it’s the reality.
If goals were the deciding factor,I don’t think Zidane would have won the best player over the years he was playing. He hardly scored 20 goals a season, yet won the ballon d’or 3 times. Saka over all play is better than Haaland’s.
When did Zizou win best EPL player? By your logic then no striker should ever get it unless they get a ton of assists too?
I never said Haaland was better or worse than Saka, all I said was that we aren’t seeing him even close to his full potential. Stop making up things….
@PJ-SA I did’nt say Zidane ever played in the EPL. I was just making comparison between being highest scorer and best player. I can also compare Etoo and Ronaldinno. Etoo scored more goals than ronaldino, but not selected as best player.
Midfielders are generally better all round players than strikers, THAT IS WHY THEY ARE MIDFIELDERS!
I’ll ask again, so by your logic a striker should never win it unless they get a ton of assists? Ronaldo brought almost nothing but goals, very little other contributions. Are you saying he should never have won anything?
It would depend on who will win EPL, although Haaland is way more productive than any attacker in the league
I think Haaland has to win the the player of the season award, I generally dont like it when team accomplishments are given that much importance for individual awards, it cannot be that the deciding factor is winning PL. For example alexis sanchez should have won the POTS award with us but Hazard won it because the won the league and I think thats wrong
Haaland will probably win the Player of The Season, and Saka will probably win the Young Player of The Season.
More importantly, hopefully ,Arteta will pick up the Manager of the year award.
Player of the season, player of the match etc ! All bunkum!
What MATTERS is THE TEAM! Fooball is played by teams and titles are won by teams!
SO CAN WE STOP LAUDING INDIVIDUALS, WHILE GIVING DUE CREDIT TO THE TEAM???!!!
Yes! Agreed. Even if you’d entertain this topic, surely it’s far too early to say who will win it. A debate for May 29.
A team dear Jon is per defenition a group of individuals….When we had Ozil and Aubameyang we were not top of the League……
Haaland has to win it.
Saka has been amazing this season, with almost every goal of his being a crucial one, but lets not forget that he took a bit of time to get going.
Whereas Haaland has been an absolute beast. 6 or 7 hat-tricks already! He’ll be top scorer in the Premier League era in his first season. Scary stuff!
Saka easily should win young player of the season though.
I tend to agree, but it’s far too early to tell, and it’s far too early to be talking about individual awards when TEAMS are fighting for the title. Let’s recisit this topic on May 29.
Revisit*
What is surprising is that people give Saka much credit because we’re top of the league. but do you know Salah is not having a good season but yet he contributed same assists and more goals than Saka but no one noticed him? Salah is what still make Liverpool tick but no one recognize that.
Winning the league should not be the criteria for BP.
Saka is an absolute gem but what he did this season has been done before but can you say that about Haaland who has been breaking records?
Saka time for the accolade is coming but truth be told, he has not done enough this season to win it above Haaland.
Remember Martinelli performs better than Saka before the worldcup. Saka only came to life after Worldcup just like Saliba and Gabriel.