Mikel Arteta sets target for Bukayo Saka as Arsenal boss demands more before Champions League clash

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has set Bukayo Saka a target of scoring "two or three" goals a match if he wishes to take his game to the next level.

The 25-year-old winger has recorded 84 goals and 81 assists in 320 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions since making his first-team debut in Novbember 2018.

Saka found the net 11 times in 49 matches last season and is currently Arsenal’s top scorer this term with three goals in six Premier League games for the reigning champions.

The Hale End academy graduate also netted a brace on England duty earlier this month, but he could have scored more goals for the Gunners had he not missed big chances in recent games against Napoli, Sunderland and Leeds United.

Saka’s best scoring season for Arsenal came in the 2023-24 season when he netted 20 goals in 47 games across all tournaments, including 16 in the Premier League.

Arteta believes that Saka should be aiming for a much higher goal tally this term and has urged his No.7 to get himself in the right mindset to produce numbers on a consistent basis.

Arteta tells Saka to target "two or three" goals per game

Speaking about Saka ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Lille on Tuesday, Arteta told reporters: “I think the numbers should go to score two or three per game.

"That's it. That's the mindset. And then if you score one, so be it, you score two, so be it, because he has the ability to score in many ways.

"But normally, if you go to all the attackers, and that's the way, I think you have to attack something. Because if you go '20, OK, now we are in October, I still have eight months to score 17 more goals.' That's not the mindset, that's not going to take you there."

Saka has proven to be a penalty-box predator in the opening stages of this season, with all three of his Arsenal goals netted from within 12 yards – one penalty and two close-range tap-ins.

His two goals in England’s thumping 7-0 win over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League were also from central positions inside the box, his first cushioned in from three yards out before pouncing on a loose pass to poke home his second inside the six-yard box.

Saka mentality shift is key to deliver more Arsenal goals

"That is where we need to get him," Arteta continued. "If he misses the chance, so be it. At the end, the more volume we generate, the bigger the probability of him scoring more goals. He has been getting in great positions, getting shots, getting one-touch finishes and tap-ins.

"That is the kind of unpredictability we have with that player, otherwise we know how the opponent is going to defend him.

"He is doing well. He could have had another four or five goals by now, easily, but if he continues like that, we know [he will score more].

"When he talks about scoring a certain amount of goals, he needs to be thinking about scoring a certain amount of goals per game. If that shifts, that mentality, he will get into those positions and score more goals."

Arsenal’s ‘Starboy’ will be eyeing up his first Champions League goal of the campaign in Tuesday’s home clash with Lille, with last season's losing finalists bidding to build on their narrow 1-0 League Phase win away against Napoli last month.