{"id":9399,"date":"2026-05-07T17:33:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:33:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=9399"},"modified":"2026-05-07T17:33:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:33:51","slug":"emmanuel-petit-names-player-who-could-have-saved-arsenals-season-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=9399","title":{"rendered":"Emmanuel Petit names player who could have saved Arsenal’s season | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Olympique\t<\/div>
Bukayo Saka\u2019s return could be key in Arsenal\u2019s pursuit of a historic double, says Emmanuel Petit (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Emmanuel Petit says Bukayo Saka\u2019s timely return could be what proves the difference if Arsenal are to go on and enjoy success in the Premier League and Champions League.<\/p>\n

Saka was sidelined for around a month with an Achilles problem, his third separate injury of the season, meaning he was forced to miss five matches in all competitions as Arsenal\u2019s campaign threatened to come off the rails.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a somewhat frustrating season for the England international from a personal perspective, with a combination of form and fitness limiting his effectiveness for the Gunners.<\/p>\n

But Saka returned to action in the side\u2019s 1-0 victory over Newcastle, coming on as a late replacement for Noni Madueke and making an immediate impact at the Emirates.<\/p>\n

Mikel Arteta has been cautious with Saka\u2019s transition back into the team, eager not to risk further injury. The 24-year-old was again used as a substitute in Arsenal\u2019s semi-final first leg with Atletico Madrid before coming off at half-time against Fulham. <\/p>\n

It was on Tuesday night that Saka well and truly announced his return to the fold, though, as he found himself in the right place at the right time to score what proved to be the decisive goal to send Arsenal through to this year\u2019s Champions League final.<\/p>\n

He will be looking to pick up where he left off at West Ham this weekend, with Arsenal switching their focus back to Premier League matters in the wake of Manchester City\u2019s slip-up at Everton.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Saka scored the decisive goal as Arsenal saw off Atleti to reach the Champions League final (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Arteta\u2019s men will take on the holders PSG on May 30 (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Viktor Gyokeres\u00a0was missing\u00a0Bukayo Saka; he was out for months, while\u00a0Martin Odegaard\u00a0spent long periods on the bench. Can you imagine where\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0would\u2019ve been if those players had been fit all season?\u2019 ex-Arsenal midfielder wrote in his BOYLE Sports column.<\/p>\n

\u2018We can see now how badly\u00a0Saka\u00a0was missed; his return might be what wins\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0the\u00a0Premier League\u00a0and the\u00a0Champions League. <\/p>\n

\u2018Without him, it could\u2019ve been nothing. I think he\u2019s mentally and physically fresh. He\u2019s got some life in his legs;\u00a0Arteta\u00a0is managing him carefully because you cannot take any risks with him. <\/p>\n

\u2018They still have four games to play, three in the\u00a0Premier League\u00a0and one\u00a0Champions League\u00a0final.<\/p>\n

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\u2018So, don\u2019t rush him. They are winning games, and he\u2019s been important in the last few. <\/p>\n

\u2018The next game against\u00a0West Ham<\/strong>\u00a0will be very important for both teams. I presume\u00a0Saka\u00a0will be crucial.\u00a0Saka\u00a0and\u00a0Odegaard\u00a0have been among their best players for years. They were missing those guys. <\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s like asking\u00a0Pep Guardiola\u00a0playing without\u00a0Erling Haaland\u00a0and\u00a0Bernardo Silva.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Everton\t<\/div>
Arsenal hold a five-point advantage in the league after City\u2019s slip-up at Everton (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Petit is convinced it will be Arsenal\u2019s year in the Premier League and believes the fanbase should be satisfied if that turns out to be the only trophy they get their hands on this season.<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal\u00a0could win both trophies, but after what they have been through over the last few seasons, the\u00a0Premier League\u00a0would be enough,\u2019 the 1998 France World Cup winner explained.<\/p>\n

\u2018What I would say is that it\u2019s not a coincidence that they can win the\u00a0Champions League\u00a0for the first time and end their\u00a0Premier League\u00a0drought in the same season; things happen for a reason.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal\u00a0are going to win the\u00a0Premier League. Even after losing at\u00a0City\u00a02-1 and dropping the nine-point advantage they had, I was always confident because I knew those guys were going to come back. <\/p>\n

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\u2018I didn\u2019t see\u00a0City\u00a0winning every single game. And this is exactly what happened against\u00a0Everton, but it could still go down to goal difference.<\/p>\n

\u2018The last three games for\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0are\u00a0West Ham,\u00a0Burnley, and\u00a0Crystal Palace. Two derbies and one against\u00a0Burnley, who are already down. You could say it\u2019s nine points, but\u00a0West Ham\u00a0will probably play like it\u2019s a final.<\/p>\n

\u2018But if you look at\u00a0City\u00a0\u2018s schedule, they play against top teams who are very confident, actually. They have to go to\u00a0Bournemouth\u00a0. Look at\u00a0Bournemouth\u00a0; they have been one of the best teams in the\u00a0Premier League\u00a0for weeks now.<\/p>\n

\u2018The same with\u00a0Brighton\u00a0, and\u00a0City\u00a0play\u00a0Aston Villa\u00a0in the last game.\u00a0Aston Villa\u00a0are struggling to keep their position on the table. So I wish\u00a0City\u00a0good luck as well, but as I said, I see\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0winning the\u00a0Premier League. <\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m not sure about the\u00a0Champions League\u00a0final, but I think if you ask me to decide, I will take both. But if I have to make a choice, I will say the\u00a0Premier League\u00a0first.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
The Gunners will be appearing in their second-ever Champions League final later this month (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to Petit, nobody will remember how Arsenal reached the Champions League final \u2013 and Arteta\u2019s squad should try to block out any \u2018noise\u2019 and criticism surrounding their style of play.<\/p>\n

He added: \u2018Arsenal controlled the tie against\u00a0Atletico,\u00a0but again we heard the same critics again, a lot of people are complaining about the level of display, the way both teams were playing, very tactically, very strong structure defensively.<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal did what it takes to go to the\u00a0Champions League\u00a0final. So I think it\u2019s a huge improvement. <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"FC\t<\/div>
PSG overcame Bayern to keep their Champions League defence alive (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018The critics talk about how\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0play, the fact that they struggle to score goals, but they\u2019ve been in almost every single competition until the end, except the\u00a0FA Cup\u00a0.<\/p>\n

\u2018This is the only team in\u00a0Europe\u00a0who has done that. And despite the fact that they are struggling to score goals, they still win games. And I think this is the most important. <\/p>\n

\u2018History will remember the trophies for a couple of years. Who cares about how\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0reached the final? To be honest with you, let the noises spread and stay focused on the\u00a0Premier League\u00a0and the\u00a0Champions League\u00a0final.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Arsenal are yet to be beaten in Europe\u2019s premier club competition (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Asked if Arsenal would have preferred PSG or Bayern Munich in the final, Petit replied: \u2018I don\u2019t think\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0would prefer either\u00a0PSG\u00a0or\u00a0Bayern\u00a0in the final. <\/p>\n

\u2018They play similar types of explosive attacking football, and\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0play more tactically.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018PSG\u00a0and\u00a0Bayern\u00a0have been the most impressive teams in the\u00a0Champions League\u00a0this season, with a DNA of scoring goals;\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0have been the best defensive team.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think either way,\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0would be underdogs, but if they play their tactical game, they have a real chance of winning the\u00a0Champions League\u00a0for the first time.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Gyokeres shone against Atleti on a famous night at the Emirates (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Petit, who won the Premier League with Arsenal in 1998, has been mightily impressed by the way in which Gyokeres has managed to turn his fortunes around after a rocky start to his Gunners career.<\/p>\n

And though Petit acknowledges that Gyokeres \u2018is not the most gifted\u2019 centre-forward, he believes the Swede\u2019s \u2018100 per cent\u2019 commitment has made him a \u2018nightmare\u2019 for opposition defences in recent matches.<\/p>\n

\u2018Viktor Gyokeres\u00a0is not a romantic player, nor is he the most gifted player. But honestly, I was thinking about the central defenders of\u00a0Atletico Madrid,\u2019 he continued. <\/p>\n

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Who will win this year’s Champions League?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018Robin Le Normand\u00a0was substituted, and the others found it so difficult for them to mark him.<\/p>\n

\u2018Gyokeres\u00a0gives 100 per cent every time he\u2019s on the pitch. I know that it\u2019s not enough when you play for\u00a0Arsenal, you want something more romantic after the likes of\u00a0Dennis Bergkamp\u00a0and\u00a0Thierry Henry. <\/p>\n

\u2018You could say that\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0deserves a striker like that. But this guy, despite the critics, despite the pressure, is trying everything he can on the pitch to make a difference. <\/p>\n

\u2018Recently, he has been a nightmare for defenders. He ran the channels; he held up the ball. <\/p>\n

\u2018He missed this great opportunity in the second half. He should have done better, but it was quite difficult technically. He was very important in both games.\u2019<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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