Arteta Challenges Bukayo Saka to Aim for Two or Three Goals Per Game

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has challenged Bukayo Saka to adopt a more aggressive goalscoring mentality, urging the England international to focus on scoring multiple goals in individual matches rather than setting a fixed seasonal target.

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League clash against Lille, Arteta said Saka has the ability to score in different ways and should approach every game with the ambition of finding the net more than once.

The Arsenal boss explained that focusing too heavily on a target such as 20 goals could encourage a player to calculate how many goals remain instead of attacking each match with the right mindset. He believes Saka should aim for two or three goals per game, allowing his overall tally to grow naturally over the course of the season.

Arteta’s challenge comes after Saka missed several important chances in recent matches, including opportunities against Napoli, Sunderland and Leeds United. Despite those misses, the manager stressed that he was encouraged by the winger’s ability to get into dangerous positions, take shots and find opportunities close to goal.

According to Arteta, creating more chances increases the likelihood of scoring, and Saka’s movement inside the penalty area could make him more difficult for opposing defenders to contain. The 25 year old had an immediate opportunity to respond during Arsenal’s 3–0 Champions League victory over Lille on Tuesday, October 13. After starting on the bench, Saka came on in the 64th minute, assisted Eberechi Eze’s goal three minutes later and scored Arsenal’s third in the 71st minute.

His contribution underlined the attacking threat Arteta wants to see more consistently from the winger. Rather than treating goals as a long-term numerical target, the manager wants Saka and Arsenal’s other attackers to approach every match believing they can score repeatedly.

For Arsenal, the expectation reflects the high standards surrounding a team competing at the top level of English and European football. Saka remains an important part of Arteta’s attacking plans, and turning more of his chances into goals could strengthen the club’s pursuit of further success.