Bukayo Saka record vs. Man City
© Imago
Played: 12
Won: 1
Drawn: 2
Lost: 9
Goals: 2
Assists: 2
The numbers unsurprisingly do not make for positive reading for Bukayo Saka, whose 12 matches against Manchester City for Arsenal have only brought one victory, in addition to two stalemates and a whopping nine defeats.
The 23-year-old has only been responsible for two goals and two assists against the reigning Premier League champions in that time, but both helpers were recent, one for Gabriel Magalhaes in September 2024 and one for Leandro Trossard in the 2023 Community Shield.
Saka's first Premier League experiences against Man City were entirely forgettable, though, as he was involved in both top-flight defeats in the 2019-20 season, playing 50 minutes as a left-back in his first appearance against the Citizens.
Mikel Arteta's men memorably overcame Man City 2-0 in the semi-finals of the FA Cup that year, but Saka was an unused substitute in that Wembley win, before establishing himself as a regular starter in the Gunners XI.
However, another four defeats followed for Saka and Arsenal across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, although he scored his first goal against Man City in the latter year, breaking the deadlock on New Year's Day 2022 before the 10-man Gunners lost their lead right at the death.
Saka then made it back-to-back goals against Man City in February 2023, netting from the penalty spot after Kevin De Bruyne broke the deadlock, but goals from Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish propelled City to a 3-1 success on that day.
Arsenal finally banished their Man City curse at home in the 2023-24 season, but Saka was unable to take part in that 1-0 success due to a thigh injury, before completing 78 minutes of the goalless stalemate at the Etihad over Easter.
Ben Knapton
