Bukayo Saka became the youngest player to score 50 Premier League goals for Arsenal during their 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.
The 22-year-old, who missed the last two matches with a muscle problem, returned to the starting XI opened the scoring for the Gunners in the ninth minute. Ben White’s lofted pass found Saka in space on the right and he jinked inside on to his favoured left foot before slamming the ball beyond Caoimhin Kelleher.
That strike made Saka the youngest player to hit half a century in their history at 23 years and 52 days old, beating the likes of Thierry Henry and Theo Walcott to that accolade.
Henry joined the club from Juventus at the age of 22 in 1999, and was 24 years and 128 days old when he netted his 50th in the top-flight for the Gunners. Ironically, Henry hit that milestone against Liverpool, too, firing home from the penalty spot during a 2-1 win at Anfield in 2001.
Meanwhile, Walcott was 26 years and 69 days old when he did it in 2015 against West Brom. Saka has also beaten another Arsenal great in Robin van Persie, who was 27 years and 162 days old after netting his 50th against West Ham in 2011. The youngest player to ever hit 50 in the Premier League for any club is Robbie Fowler.
As for the game itself, Liverpool equalised through Virgil van Dijk before Mikel Merino put the Gunners back ahead just before the end of the first half. However, Arne Slot’s Reds responded once more and levelled late on as Mohamed Salah struck to secure a share of the spoils.
Speaking after the game, Saka reflected on the performance and the result. He said: “We’re disappointed. I feel like we didn’t show our best selves for 90 minutes and it cost us in the end. We believe we should have won it.
“For sure, there’s definitely some positives – Liverpool are a top team, credit to them. But the overall feeling is that we didn’t show our best selves for the whole game, especially more in the second half, and it cost us in the end.”
