Bukayo Saka will break Arsenal record that has stood for 86 years with next England goal
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Bukayo Saka will create Arsenal history with his next England goal – breaking a record that has stood since before World War Two.
The winger is in line to feature in the Three Lions‘ upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Greece and Finland.
And the Gunners‘ stand-in skipper will be hoping to continue his stunning start to the season in the October international break for Lee Carsley’s men.
Saka is coming off the back of a man of the match display in the 3-1 win over Southampton – where he chipped in with a goal and two assists.
In total, the 23-year-old now boasts seven Premier League assists from as many games.
It is the most supplied by any player in Europe’s top five leagues this term.
The Hale End graduate has also banged in three goals in all competitions – finding the back of the net in each of his last two outings following his free-kick against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
And Saka is just one England strike shy from setting a new club record – which he can do this week.
If he does manage to score against either Greece or Finland, it would bring his tally to 13 international goals.
And it would see him become Arsenal’s highest goalscorer for England, with Saka currently level with club legend Cliff Bastin.
Bastin, who is third on Arsenal’s all-time top scorers list, scored 12 England goals between 1933-1938 before the outbreak of the Second World War.
He failed to play for England again following the conclusion of WW2, and eventually called time on his career in 1947 having featured just seven times for Arsenal after 1945.
Saka is one of 30 Arsenal players that have gotten on the score sheet for England, with Declan Rice being the latest following his goal against Ireland last month.
Following Saka and Bastin are Ian Wright and Tony Woodcock, with the duo both registering nine goals each.
Versatile forwards Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck are next in the list on eight goals.
Bastin’s ex-Arsenal teammate Ted Drake then follows with six strikes from his five caps.
Other notable Arsenal goalscorers for England include Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain [six] and Tony Adams [five].
No other Arsenal player has scored more than Saka’s four at major tournaments for England.
Saka scored three times at the 2022 World Cup – a double against Iran in the group stage which was followed by a close-range effort against Senegal in the last-16.
And he then grabbed a dramatic equaliser against Switzerland at Euro 2024 in England’s penalty shootout quarter-final victory.
Having been a runner-up in two European Championship finals with England – and in the Premier League with Arsenal – Saka has been backed to finally become a top-flight champion.
talkSPORT co-host and ex-Newcastle boss Alan Pardew believes Saka’s dominance will see the Gunners win their first league crown since 2004.
Commenting on their comeback win over Southampton, he said: “Saka again underlying his quality to that team.
“They’re looking like real proper contenders like they did last year, they’ve not fallen away, in fact, you could argue that they look stromger.
“So this is going to go down to the wire, I’ve already predicted they will be champions.”
England face Greece at Wembley in their Nations League B clash on Thursday, October 10 – live on talkSPORT
