Bukayo Saka says Arsenal paying little attention to Man City’s pursuit of them

By Carl Markham, Press Association

Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka insists they are paying little attention to Manchester City’s pursuit of them after reclaiming top spot for Christmas for the third time in four years.

Having seen Pep Guardiola’s side supplant them as Premier League leaders, the Gunners re-established their two-point advantage with a 1-0 victory at Everton a few hours later.

Full-strength opposition would have presented more of a challenge but the home side were significantly depleted and that eased any pressure which had been exerted by their title rivals as Arsenal did not have to be at their best to win.

Always impacting.

The Premier League Player of the Match: Bukayo Saka 👊 pic.twitter.com/oNahW048Yn

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 21, 2025

“There weren’t really any emotions in it, we take them out. We focus on our job,” Saka told Sky Sports.

“Since last week we focused on winning here and we did that. We are back on top of the table but we aren’t watching City too hard.

“We know if we win every week we will stay there. We are in control.”

Retaining that control is the challenge which lies ahead as in Premier League history the four occasions on which they have been top at Christmas Arsenal have failed to convert that into title success.

Manager Mikel Arteta knows there are improvements still to be made and in games such as the one at Hill Dickinson Stadium they have to press home the advantage when they have it.

Viktor Gyokeres scored for the first time in six matches courtesy of a first-half penalty following Jake O’Brien’s inexplicable handball but Leandro Trossard and Martin Zubimendi (who both hit a post) and Saka (denied by a James Tarkowski goal-line clearance) could have made things more comfortable.

“You have to dominate the tempo of the game. In order to do that, you have to understand what the game requires, when you have to play really fast, and when you have to slow the game down,” Arteta said.

“If you provoke the things that you want to provoke with the ball, it’s right, but sometimes when you have to be more incisive, more aggressive.

“The more we insist, the more will happen and the margins will be bigger. That’s what we have to try to do. That’s something that we can improve.

Steps up. Dispatched. 😤 pic.twitter.com/U3lc8RJIjF

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 21, 2025

“Against Wolves (last weekend) we generated many more entrances in the box and when we reviewed the match, the amount of situations that we had, overloads in the box, the ball hasn’t arrived in the right spot.

“You hit the post twice with players that normally when they are in those positions are going to put the ball in the net. We have to try, we have to continue.

“Again, the margin should have been bigger but that’s what we have to learn while we are winning.”