Jamie Carragher marvelled at his “composure and quality” on the ball. The notoriously hard-to-please Roy Keane talked up his “lovely” performance. Even Cesc Fabregas voiced his approval. “Saka is a player,” he wrote on Twitter. “Eighteen years old and showing great maturity.”
Arsenal and Manchester United’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford last month was a drab affair, another reminder of how far the two clubs have fallen since the days of their epic rivalry. For Bukayo Saka, though, it provided a platform to further enhance a rapidly growing reputation.
At 18 years and 25 days old, and making only his seventh senior appearance for Arsenal, Saka became the youngest player to start a Premier League game between the two sides. And at a ground where players far older than him have crumbled, there was little evidence of his inexperience.
