Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has dismissed concerns over Bukayo Saka’s fitness.
The 21-year-old has featured consistently for the North London club this season.
Arteta started Saka in the Gunners 1-0 win against PSV Eindhoven on Thursday.
The England international was not moving too comfortably in the second half after taking a kick to the back of his calf.
When asked if he was considering dropping Saka to the bench, Arteta responded: “Look at the top players in the world. They play 70 matches every three days and make the difference and win the game.
“You want to be at the top, you have to be able to do that. And if we start to put something different in the mind of a young player, I think we are making a huge mistake because then [he would] be like, ‘no, I don’t play now, on astroturf I don’t play’. I don’t want that.
“I want them to be ruthless every three days. I want them knocking on my door [saying] I want to play, I want to win the game. There is no fitness coach in the world that is going to tell me that they cannot do it because I’ve seen it.
“Seventy-two games and scored 50 goals. The players that score 50 goals do not play 38 games in the season, it’s just impossible.”
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