Bukayo Saka Arsenal 2019-20Getty Images

‘Arsenal need to win games and trophies’ – Arteta backed by Saka to deliver on expectations

Bukayo Saka admits Arsenal “need to win games and win trophies” after hitting a serious slump, with Mikel Arteta being backed to turn the tide in north London.

The Gunners have collected only one win from their last 15 games in all competitions and have slipped to 12th in the Premier League.

Arteta has picked up a baton put down by Unai Emery, with Arsenal putting their faith in another Spanish coach.

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He is under no illusions as to the size of the challenge he faces at Emirates Stadium, but is considered to be offering early encouragement.

Saka is among those tipping a managerial rookie to deliver an upturn in fortune for the Gunners and get them back on the trophy trail before too long.

The 18-year-old told the club’s official website of Arteta: “He has his own way, his own philosophy and he's even talked about bringing his own philosophy to the club, to try to bring the club back to the direction we need to be in.

“We need to win games and win trophies, so I feel like he has that vision and that strategy. He knows how he wants us to get there. If we can be on board and do what he wants us to, we'll do well.”

Academy graduate Saka, who made a senior breakthrough under Emery, claims Arteta has already improved his game and expects Arsenal to benefit as a collective over the coming weeks and months.

Mikel Arteta Arsenal 2019-20Getty Images

The England U19 international added: “He's someone who understands the players, understands the club and all the ideas that he's bringing in.

“He has a clear strategy of how he wants us to play and we're just really excited to work with him.
 
“He's teaching us little things that we didn't know before and just bringing in his own strategies, his own ways of playing. We can see that it's going to work, we're just looking forward to doing it.

“Maybe one thing that I've picked up straight away is that when nobody's pressing you, you don't need to pass the ball. What you can do is just get the ball, drive the ball forward a bit and wait for someone to come to you, commit a player, then pass it.
 
“Then that man will be free or that man will have less pressure on him. It's just attracting players before you pass the ball off, which will help our team-mates a lot on the pitch.”

Saka has started both of Arteta’s games at the helm, with a promising talent who initially impressed on the wing being nudged back into a left-back berth for a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth and 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.

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