Saka rejects talk of Arsenal wilting but scars of title near-misses run deep

Bukayo Saka captured the mood in Arsenal’s dressing room as “very flat” after his side surrendered a 2-0 lead at Wolves. His headed goal — the first in 15 games and celebrated with a mimic of signing the five-year contract he has agreed — briefly raised hopes, but his smile had gone by the time he faced TV cameras.

Substituted in the 73rd minute with Arsenal leading 2-1, he said the team must reflect and “fix the issues immediately” to rebuild momentum. Saka dismissed suggestions that the players are “feeling the pressure”, saying: “No, I don’t think about all of that. We need to just get back to our level, just do the basics right.” Still, Arsenal’s recent record tells a worrying story: they have dropped seven points from winning positions since the turn of the year, compared with two between August and December, and have won only two of their last seven league games.

The scars of three successive runners-up finishes are visible.

bukayo saka, arsenal, wolves, five-year contract, headed goal, league games, dropped points, runners-up, winning positions, momentum