Ray Parlour: Bukayo Saka plays for Arsenal every week because he always looks after himself
Ray Parlour has praised Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka for his incredible work rate and always looking after himself.
The 22-year-old has featured in 83 consecutive Premier League matches for the Gunners, surpassing the record of 82 games achieved by Paul Merson between February 1995 and February 1997 in the process.
Saka has been a regular for Arsenal and the England national team, earning himself a nomination for the 2023 Ballon d’Or awards, and Parlour believes it is all down to the hard yards he puts in behind the scenes.
“He is a massive player for both Arsenal and England,” the former Gunners star told talkSPORT.
“He never gets injured and out, he is always playing, he is always fit to play. He is a real grounded young man, always smiling, enjoys his football. He has been an absolute revelation for Arsenal especially.
“Little things like, I went to the training ground not so long ago, and every single player had the day off, but he was in because he wanted to do a warm down. That sort of professionalism that makes him say I want to go in and look after myself, and that is why he plays every week because he does look after himself.
“Every single person likes him. Even if you are a neutral and you do not even like Arsenal. He is always doing the best he can whether it is for Arsenal and England.”
Saka was recently voted as England’s Men’s Player of the Year ahead of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane for the second season running.
He made the PFA Team of the Year, emerged as the PFA Young Player of the Year and earned a nomination for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year after bagging 14 goals and 11 assists in 38 league games last term.
The Hale End academy graduate has hit the ground running in 2023-24, with two goals and an assist to his name in four games, and he will be determined to help Arsenal land the title after they lost the race to Manchester City last term.
