Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has emphatically dismissed concerns over Bukayo Saka's fitness and game time, claiming that the attacker must want to play "70 games" a season if he wants to reach the top level.
The 21-year-old has been one of the first names on the teamsheet for Arsenal during the 2022-23 season and was named in the first XI once again for Thursday's Europa League Group A clash with PSV Eindhoven.
Saka troubled the PSV defence all evening long on the right-hand side, although he was not moving too comfortably in the second half after taking a kick to the back of his calf.
The England international was eventually replaced by Reiss Nelson in the dying embers, as Arsenal ensured a place in the knockout stages with a 1-0 win thanks to Granit Xhaka's goal.
Saka has started all 10 Premier League games for Arsenal this season, as well as two of their Europa League fixtures, but Arteta has insisted that the youngster must embrace the unforgiving schedule if he is to become a world-beater.
Firstly giving a reassuring update on Saka's condition in his post-game press conference, football.london quotes Arteta as saying: "He got a kick, he was limping a little bit, but hopefully, he will be alright."
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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."
Xhaka's smartly-taken half-volley ensured that Arsenal would finish in the top two of Group A, and they only need a draw in next week's return fixture with PSV to finish first and seal a place in the last-16.
However, Arsenal had to wait 70 minutes for the breakthrough, and Arteta has admitted that his side lacked a ruthless edge in the final third, saying: "We are qualified, so that's the first step. Really pleased to do that. Now we want to achieve the second one, which is to finish first in the group.
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"Because we know the difference that's going to make in terms of the games you're going to play and against who. That's still something we had to do in general. We are really pleased with the performance and with what the boys showed.
"We had some really dominant and good moments, but we lacked in the final third and the final action to put more shots on target and to score more goals, I think."
Xhaka now has three goals in the 2022-23 season as his redemption arc continues, and Arteta is delighted to see the Switzerland international receive unwavering support from the fans.
"He deserves that. He has faced adversity in difficult moments, he has put his arm up when he had something different to do, the way he is as a person, and the way he treats everyone around the club," Arteta added.
"The love he has for his profession is unquestionable, and I think he fully deserves that. I'm really happy to see this for his career. It's just about unlocking something in the player's mind and being more open and receptive to other things, and he's been extremely open. His work rate all the time to learn is fantastic, and now I think it's paying off."
Arsenal will now switch their attention to Sunday's Premier League clash with Southampton, as they go in search of a ninth win on the bounce in all competitions to maintain or extend their four-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Ben Knapton
