Arsenal seem to have found their new Saka

Arsenal are Champions League finalists for the first time in 20 years. The Gunners haven’t been there since the days of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Arsene Wenger.

But they are here, one game away from making history and winning the Champions League for the first time in their existence. It’s a fantastic reward and a rich reward for supporting Mikel Arteta every step of the way.

He has lived here for nearly seven years. The Spaniard has overcome it all, from repeated second-place finishes to being eliminated in the cup final. But here he stands, potentially four games away from becoming one of the best managers in the club’s history.

They are in pole position to win the Premier League and will head to Budapest later this month in hopes of taking home club football’s biggest honour.

So how did they get there? Now, we have Bukayo Saka to thank for their 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the semi-final on Tuesday night.

How Arsenal reached the Champions League final

It’s safe to say that 2026 hasn’t been plain sailing for the Gunners. They lost to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, were eliminated by Southampton in the FA Cup, and lost again to City in the league, surrendering their nine-point advantage at the top of the Premier League.

But how quickly can football change? Arsenal are currently five points clear at the top of the league. City only have games left. They are now also in the European finals.

At one point, it looked like the season would end without a trophy. They may not yet, but the hope this past week and a half has given them is immeasurable.

They got their mojo back against Fulham on Saturday. He scored three points in double quick time in the first half. This one was more similar. Unsurprisingly, Arteta’s team selection on Tuesday night remained unchanged.

The front line wasn’t as roaring as last weekend, but it was still threatening. If you thought Victor Gokeres was good against the Cottages, he was probably even better in midweek. he didn’t score. I couldn’t even assist a goal. However, his work rate was amazing.

The big Swede moved the channels and held the ball in world-class fashion. Everything he was criticized for in the past has been erased from his game.

He also contributed to the winning goal. As Gökeres had done all night, he sprinted down the right channel and sent in a cross that was deflected. The ball found its way to Leandro Trossard’s feet, his shot was saved by Jan Oblak and Saka was in the right position at the right time to score the rebound from close range.

Who else is there besides him? A man who played in Arteta’s first game in charge on Boxing Day 2019, a player who has been with the manager from the beginning, burst on to score the club’s biggest goal in 20 years.

Saka was excellent again and his return to form was incredibly timely. Following on from last weekend’s goal and assist, this was another goal.

However, things didn’t get any easier for the Gunners in the second half. Atleti fought back, but the hosts defended well and kept a clean sheet for the 30th time this season. The presence of William Saliba and Gabriel was so important that manager Diego Simeone was forced to leave Julián Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann out of the game early.

Nevertheless, we cannot end this work without discussing the middle.

Arsenal may have found their new Saka

Something has clearly clicked for Arteta in recent weeks. Declan Rice returned to the number six position, sitting in the deepest midfielder. He has been partnered with Miles Lewis-Skelly for the past two games, and the player is now a player who cannot be completely dropped.

Incredibly, his start against Fulham last weekend was the first time he has featured in midfield in his senior career. It was also just his third league start all season. He had an outstanding performance in that match, completing 97% of his passes and winning seven duels.

All eyes were on whether Arteta would start again against Atleti. Yeah, it’s a bold call, but he certainly started Tuesday off.

Lewis-Skelly once again rewarded the manager’s trust with his top-class performance. That begs the question of where the 19-year-old has been all season.

This season has been really difficult compared to last season, when he was brilliant in the Champions League against Real Madrid, scored against Manchester City and scored on his debut in England.

His hopes of playing in the World Cup were all but extinguished by the lack of football. From January 17 to March 14, Lewis-Skelly did not play a single minute in the Premier League.

According to reports, Manchester United are interested and could make a cash move for the player. But in recent days, new life has been breathed into his career.

His performance against Atlético was once again outstanding. If you forgot how great this kid is, he reminded everyone why he is one of the best young players in the world.

Lewis-Skelly has played at left-back for the majority of his senior career so far, and it would be surprising to see him move back there. He bullied and dominated Atlético from the center of the pitch. During this time, he completed 90% of his passes and won all three of his aerial duels.

Saka might have been a match-winner, as was often the case under Arteta, but in Lewis Skelly they seem to have found a different version of the mercurial No.7.

Sure, they may not be related by position, but their backgrounds and rises to greatness are eerily similar. Saka broke into the team as a left-back before becoming the main right winger. It was also at left-back that Lewis-Skelly made his breakthrough.

But just as the winner of Tuesday’s game cemented his place further forward in the team, it’s time for Lewis Skelly to do the same.

More performances like the two he’s had over the last four days will definitely help him get there.

Will he start against West Ham this weekend? Will he start in the Champions League final? Arteta would be foolish to ignore him at this rate. He is certainly in better form than fellow midfielder Marin Zvimendi.