“He got in the way of it” - Arsenal star Bukayo Saka reacts to being denied first-ever hat-trick by Kai Havertz in win over Monaco
Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka remains confident of scoring his first hat-trick after being denied the chance by Kai Havertz on Wednesday, December 11. The Englishman was on song for the Gunners against Monaco, scoring a brace in the 3-0 win in the Champions League.
The third goal came from Saka's shot that deflected off the German's shin into the net. The result helped the north London side climb to third in the Champions League table with 13 points from six games.
After the win, the Englishman insisted that his hat-trick would come soon.
"He got in the way of it, but don't worry, it's [a hat trick] coming. It's on the way," said Saka.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also praised Saka for his consistency after the game.
"You have to be able to do that consistently throughout many years to put yourself in that position. We can compare what he's done in his first six years of professional football, which is exceptional, you know, and that's it and his aim is to improve. He has the players and environment to continue to do that and I'm sure he will," said Arteta.
Bukayo Saka has registered nine goals and 12 assists from 21 games across competitions for the Gunners this season. He is admired at multiple clubs across the continent but is under contract at the Emirates until 2027.
Since breaking into the first team as a teenager, the 23-year-old has scored 67 goals and set up 62 more from 247 games across competitions for the north London giants.
How have Arsenal performed in the Champions League this season?
Arsenal have registered four wins and one defeat in the Champions League this season. The Gunners started their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Atalanta.
They picked up their first win against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in October, with Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz securing a 2-0 triumph. Arsenal then got the better of Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 later that month.
However, they stumbled to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Inter Milan in November. Thankfully, the Gunners were immediately back to winning ways against Sporting CP, securing a thumping 5-1 win at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
The Gunners recently lost ground in the Premier League title race after a poor run of results. Arsenal are now third in the league table after 15 games, six points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.