Bukayo Saka: Thierry Henry texted me before the game | OneFootball

Bukayo Saka marked his 200th Premier League appearance in style, scoring against West Ham and revealing that Thierry Henry had sent him a personal message before kick-off to remind him what was at stake.

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“Thierry messaged me this morning to remind we lost the last two games to West Ham at home,” Saka told Sky Sports after the 2-0 win. “He is always pushing me. I am really happy to have my name with his records.”

The 24-year-old captained the side after Martin Ødegaard was forced off with injury in the first half, converting a penalty to seal the win and become the second Arsenal player, behind Henry, to score on their 200th appearance.

The goal also took him to 100 Premier League goal involvements, making him the seventh youngest player in league history to reach that milestone.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

“There’s a lot to celebrate, a beautiful win, another goal and 200 [Premier League] appearances as well,” Saka said. “So, happy days. I’m very proud, I don’t take these moments for granted, especially the last few months when I’ve had to miss games and watch from the stands as I’ve been injured.

“I’m going to enjoy it tonight and come back after the break ready to go again. I just want to give my best, give my best for my teammates and try and push this club to win.”

Having played the full 90 minutes for only the second time this season, Saka admitted fatigue had set in late on but was delighted to come through unscathed after a frustrating run of hamstring problems. “I’m feeling good that I’ve got the 90 minutes out of the way now,” he said.

“Towards the end, I’m a bit tired if I’m honest, but that’s normal. But, yeah, I’m happy to get the 90 minutes in my legs and get a win and go away to England, because I’ve had to miss a lot of games for the national team too. So, I’m happy to be back there.”

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After the game, Mikel Arteta praised Saka’s consistency and influence, highlighting his maturity and impact at such a young age. “It’s exceptional what he’s doing at his age,” Arteta said.

“The impact he has on those matches, it’s very difficult to do. I’m very happy for him. He’s super consistent and willing to learn constantly. He finds ways to find goals. He will grow and become more mature. Hopefully he’ll keep impacting the team.”

Saka has now scored 55 goals and provided 45 assists in his 200 Premier League appearances, placing him alongside Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie, and Cesc Fàbregas among the club’s top creators in the modern era.

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He is the 18th Arsenal player to reach 200 Premier League matches, the 79th in the club’s history, and only the second Gunner in the Premier League era to do so before the age of 25.

Liverpool’s defeat at Chelsea later that evening confirmed Arsenal’s place at the top of the table heading into the international break, giving Saka every reason to celebrate a milestone weekend both personally and collectively.