Mikel Arteta claims he was scared when Bukayo Saka took the ball for the penalty against Chelsea.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admit he was scared when his player Bukayo Saka wanted to take the penalty against Chelsea.
The England international was fouled in the box by Azpilicueta and a penalty kick was given to the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta stated that he thought Gabriel Martinelli would take it until he saw Saka with the ball.
The Spaniard said he then remembered what happened in the Euro cu final against Italy where Saka lost the penalty that gave the Italian the cup.
“I thought that Gabi was going to take it and when I saw that Bukayo took it, honestly, my first thing that I thought was back in the summer and what happened. But again, I said to you guys, when that happens to Bukayo, that happened for a reason and he learned so much and he matured so much, that’s why he’s having the season that he’s had.
“For him to have to the courage to say ‘I’m going to take it again’ because I’m sure it was in the back of his mind, for me it’s ‘chapeau’ even if he had missed it.”
Arsenal have suffered disappointment with defeat from Crystal Palace, Brighton and their recent defeat to Southampton.
Arteta believes his players showed maturity they showed against the Blues in the game away from their home ground.
“It was mentally really demanding. Because everything that we have been through in the last few weeks, for most of those players, it was the first time they’ve been through something like that and sometimes we forget about that.
“For some of them it is the first time they are playing in the Premier League and the demands and the responsibilities we are putting on them is huge.
“So after that still to go through the moments emotionally that the game had, they showed real maturity and composure and quality to match what they [Chelsea] were doing because they are a top, top side and their manager is very, very good.”
