Paul Merson has hailed Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest as the club’s best performance of the season and says Bukayo Saka is a ‘completely different player’ when joined by Martin Odegaard.
Arsenal were in dire need of a morale-boosting victory after a tough few weeks heading into the international break and Saka got the hosts off to a dream start to send the Emirates into raptures.
The England forward combined brilliantly with Odegaard before beating Matz Sels with a sumptuous strike into the top corner to break the deadlock after 15 minutes.
The visitors managed to hold firm until the halfway stage but their resistance did not last, with Thomas Partey doubling Arsenal’s advantage in the 52nd minute after replacing Jorginho.
Teenager Ethan Nwaneri joined the party at the death to put the icing on the cake and further enhance his glowing reputation, putting the Gunners out of sight in north London.
Club captain Odegaard was making only his second start since returning from injury and the Norwegian midfielder produced an exceptional display in the middle of the park, even earning the praises of Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
Merson was similarly impressed, highlighting the difference in Saka’s game when joined by Odegaard on the pitch while analysing Arsenal’s showing on Sky Sports News.
‘I thought they were outstanding. First half they started really well, must-win game. For me, it was last chance saloon, got to keep on winning now and they started the game really well,’ the ex-Arsenal and England midfielder said.
‘Brilliant goal by Saka. Saka is a completely different player when he’s playing with Odegaard.
‘When Odegaard plays and they both play down that right, the way they interact and they’re both both singing off the same hymn sheet… phenomenal.
‘Great goal by Saka. He runs across the goal and whips it back the other way.’
Merson believes Arsenal were able to ‘step off it a bit’ in the second half ahead of what could be a difficult test away to Sporting in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
‘They played in second gear, to be fair, and then Partey came on and got another worldy,’ he added.
‘And then Nwaneri… 17 years old, what a talent that kid is, he gets a good goal.
‘They needed to win, they showed a bit of armoury and then they stepped it off a bit to get ready for midweek.’
Merson continued: ‘They’ve got some good fixtures coming up. You look at their next seven or eight games, you would expect them to near-on win all of them or maybe draw one, really, if they want to put a run together.
‘They’ve had a hard start. The other five teams that finished in the top five last season, they’ve played all of them this season already and played Bournemouth away which is not an easy game.
‘Now the games become a little bit easier, they got to keep on winning.
‘They were outstanding, the best I’ve seen them this season. Odegaard makes the difference and Saka is a completely different player. I thought Saka was outstanding as well and it was just a real, real good result.’