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Bukayo Saka’s evolution at Arsenal may be entering an intriguing new phase. In Arsenal’s commanding 4-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Wigan, manager Mikel Arteta made a bold tactical call — deploying the England international in a central midfield role rather than his customary position on the wing.
Originally named on the bench, Saka was thrust into the starting XI after Riccardo Calafiori suffered a knock during the warm-up. Rather than opting for a like-for-like wide replacement, Arteta positioned Saka as a No. 8, a move that immediately added fluidity and unpredictability to Arsenal’s attack.
The result? A devastating first-half display that saw the Gunners race into a four-goal lead inside 30 minutes, with Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and a Jack Hunt own goal sealing the emphatic scoreline.
Mikel Arteta explains the experiment
Following the victory, Mikel Arteta expressed his satisfaction with both the result and the performance.
“Very happy with the results and especially the performance, the way we started the game. You really want to show how much you want it when you play against this kind of opposition in the cup, and we certainly had that attitude, and then I was a bit surprised with the level of cohesion and connections very early in the match, because when you make that many changes, that can be a part of the game – that can be lacking. But it certainly wasn’t [for us] and we scored some very, very good goals. I’m very pleased with that.”
The Arsenal boss then addressed Bukayo Saka’s new role directly, signaling that this tactical adjustment could become a recurring theme.
“That’s something that’s a possibility and I wanted to try it, and we might use it in the future. There are still so many games, competitions and different scenarios to play in this season, and that’s a possibility that we have.
“Well, he's more central, he's closer to the goal. It's a bit more difficult for the opponent to get his reference constantly. He can interchange positions with a wide player as well, and he’s so good at picking those spaces. When he’s there, he can really hurt you with the ball.”
A new dimension for Arsenal’s star
Bukayo Saka’s shift inside offers Arsenal greater tactical flexibility. Positioned centrally, he becomes harder to mark, gains more direct access to goal and creates dynamic rotation with wide players.
With multiple competitions still ahead, Mikel Arteta’s experiment may prove pivotal. If this FA Cup display is any indication, Saka’s future could involve far more than hugging the touchline.
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