Bukayo Saka can be Arsenal's answer to Mohamed Salah! Liverpool's Egyptian King is the benchmark - but Gunners' wing wizard's more than capable of matching Reds great & becoming Premier League's best

Manchester City's miserable form.

Even club legend Alan Smith has admitted that he has doubts over Saka's long-term future at the Emirates if the Gunners don't start winning major trophies.

"It's hard to say whether I think he’ll stay at Arsenal [for life]," the former striker told Mega Dice, "as it always depends on where the club is and if they’re challenging for honours.

"If they are, then a lot of top-class players - and Saka falls into that category - will feel like there's no need to move. But if there’s a dip in the club’s fortune..."

The coming weeks and months will be decisive - which is just what Saka needs to be for Arsenal.Salah the Premier League's standard-setter
For all the praise coming Arne Slot's way right now, and the improvement in so many Liverpool players on his watch, there's simply no disguising the fact that Mohamed Salah is the main reason why the Reds are top of both the Premier League and the Champions League.

He may not get much love during awards season but Salah is adored at Anfield because of his ability to influence games that he isn't even playing particularly well in.

For example, on only two occasions in this season's Premier League has the Egypt international failed to contribute either a goal or assist. That's a remarkable record across 14 games but it's a standard that Saka undoubtedly has the potential to reach.

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has even claimed that there is already nothing to choose between the pair, recently quipping that it would be like having to pick between "a Lamborghini and an Aston Martin". Salah has been posting ridiculous numbers for seven years, though, whereas Saka's only just getting started.

Even more to come from Saka
Still, just like Salah, Saka is renowned for his work ethic, on and off the pitch, and becoming such an inspirational character that he's even been touted as a potential future England captain - which is a fair shout given he was one high-profile player in the Three Lions squad to step up at Euro 2024.

There's also no reason to think that Saka won't continue to improve in his mid-20s, just as Salah did after moving from England to Italy before then returning to the Premier League with Liverpool.

As Thierry Henry has pointed out, the progress Saka has already made since first emerging at the Emirates has been staggering.

"He's my favourite player but I never thought he would reach the levels we are seeing," the Gunners icon told BBC Football Focus. "I remember when he started he was playing wing-back and the evolution of his game is outstanding because he's gone from just being so lively to now scoring goals and assists."

To become the best player in the Premier League, though, he'll have to continue doing so on a season-by-season basis - while also lifting trophies.

Saka is clearly the Gunners' game-changer - the question is whether he can become Arsenal's answer to Mohamed Salah too?

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