Bukayo Saka steps into the spotlight to open the floodgates in Arsenal’s thrashing of West Ham

Arsenal’s 6-0 win at West Ham United showcased the very best of the title-chasing Gunners.

This complimentary article could have been about a number of different players or narratives (not the over-celebrating thing, because that’s been tediously done to death all week). But ultimately, Arsenal took their game up several notches when Bukayo Saka clicked into gear.

Saka was West Ham’s antagonist from the off. He was the one who forced the diving lunge of out Edson Alvarez that led to the Mexican’s ninth-minute yellow card, leading to boos and jeers from the home fans. He was the one who kept getting in behind Emerson Palmieri, one of the Premier League’s best left-backs so far this season. He was the one who was the pantomime villain from last season’s fixture, missing a crucial penalty during Arsenal’s title collapse.

Arsenal broke the deadlock after 32 minutes when William Saliba headed home a corner. Prior to that, the closest the Gunners had come was through a fierce Leandro Trossard volley which was tipped over by Alphonse Areola, but for the most part Mikel Arteta’s side had struggled to make the most of their overwhelming possession.

West Ham deserve intense criticism for their capitulation, but it was Saka’s energy and drive that forced them into their demise.

Soon after Saliba’s opener, Saka raced into the box to reach a Jakub Kiwior cross, only to somehow head wide of Areola’s post when unmarked.

He wasn’t to be deterred. Martin Odegaard then found Saka with a clever pass between two defenders, but this time the winger dinked a shot over Areola and around the wrong side of the post. It seemed inconceivable that he’d missed two golden opportunities in quick succession.

But Saka is now one of the Premier League’s very best players. If you sat down and counted them out, you probably wouldn’t take five others ahead of him. He’s only 22 but this was his 210th senior Arsenal appearance, one he would end having scored his 50th and 51st goals for them. This is no longer an adolescent diamond in the rough but an experienced superstar who knows exactly who he is.

Saka’s relentlessness didn’t let up. Spotting Trossard dropping deep into midfield, he made a striding run in behind a sleeping West Ham backline taking a touch to meet the Belgian’s through ball and round Areola before being clipped by the goalkeeper to win a penalty.

There was the decisive moment Saka was always going to get at that…