'Interesting': Michael Owen reacts to Saka's actions whilst Arsenal's penalty was checked

Michael Owen says he finds it ‘interesting’ that Bukayo Saka held onto the ball for a lengthy period when Arsenal’s penalty was being checked by VAR, before handing it over to Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal’s flying winger has mainly taken his side’s spot-kicks in the past, including a crucial miss against West Ham United last season.

But, against Crystal Palace on Monday night, it seems as though Bukayo Saka handed those duties over to his club captain, Martin Odegaard, who dispatched his penalty with ease.

It was mentioned by Michael Owen that Palace keeper Sam Johnstone was probably taken aback by it because ‘he has probably been preparing for Saka to take the penalty’, as he told Premier League Productions (21/08/23 at 10:05 pm).

After the game, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta spoke about that situation, as he expressed his ‘surprise’ by it all.

Either way, if it was a tactic by Saka, then it clearly worked because it helped his team maintain their 100% start to the new Premier League campaign.

“Saka, that’s an interesting bit as well,” said Owen. “Saka holding the ball for the whole duration of the fallout from the penalty, and then finally, they hand it to Odegaard.

“Then Sam Johnstone is looking at the bench because he had probably been preparing for Saka to take the penalty. And it was a lovely penalty, in the end.”Brighton, Man City and Arsenal

The only three teams that have made 100% starts to the new Premier League season, and it shouldn’t be a surprise given the threat they bring to the table.

Many are expecting big things from all of them, including Roberto De Zerbi’s free-scoring Brighton playing in Europe for the first time in their history.

And if you finish above Treble-winners Manchester City this season, then you are probably going to be champions of England.