Mikel Arteta told he should have ‘massive doubts’ about Arsenal star ahead of PSG clash

Former England goalkeeper Ben Foster says Mikel Arteta should have ‘massive doubts’ about Bukayo Saka being Arsenal’s chief penalty taker ahead of the side’s Champions League semi-final with Paris Saint-Germain.

Saka had a golden opportunity to extend Arsenal’s 3-0 advantage over Real Madrid as Arteta’s men were awarded a 13th-minute penalty in their quarter-final second leg.

But the England winger’s attempted Panenka was comfortably saved by Thibaut Courtois, sparking rapturous scenes amongst Madrid’s home support in the Spanish capital.

Saka would redeem himself with an exquisite dinked effort over Courtois to increase the deficit in the 65th minute as the Gunners eventually prevailed with a comprehensive 5-1 aggregate victory over the holders.

Arteta later admitted he ‘felt like slapping’ Saka after his high-risk spot-kick and was ‘worried’ about how the forward might react inside the pressure cooker of the Bernabeu.

Rafael van der Vaart branded Saka a ‘disgrace’ for even attempting an audacious chip, but there are no plans for the forward to be taken off penalty duties, with the club’s first leg at home to PSG just under a week away.

‘I ain’t trying to dink Thibaut Courtois! It’s one of the s***est penalties I’ve ever seen. It is so s***,’ Foster said of Saka’s penalty on the Ben Foster – The Cycling GK YouTube channel.

‘I half agree with the comment [from Van der Vaart] because, at that moment in time, I think Bukayo Saka has got a little bit carried away with himself and he’s tried to show off.

‘He has tried to show off when in reality, if he puts that ball in the back of the net, the game is done.

‘It’s ten minutes into the game. Put that ball in the back of the net and the game is done.’

According to Foster, one of the more senior members of Arsenal’s dressing room should have grabbed Saka by the scruff of the neck and put him in his place after the failed penalty.

‘If I’m one of those other Arsenal players, I’m going up to him after that penalty and going, “Get your head in the game, k***head, don’t do silly s*** like this!”… I don’t want my player to be doing that,’ the ex-Manchester United and Watford ‘keeper added.

‘I don’t mind a player missing the target if he’s absolutely gone for it. If the goalie makes a world-class save, you put your hands up, but it wasn’t a world-class save.’

Foster doubts Saka would have even considered a Panenka had the tie been goalless when referee Francois Letexier pointed to the spot.

‘He’s obviously class. But if the tie is 0-0 and you’re away at the Bernabeu, there is no way he’s dinking that, he’s not dinking it,’ he continued.

‘I don’t know if he’s going to be the player to take the penalty at 0-0 overall. I think maybe a senior player would go and take that and they’re dispatching it properly.’

Asked who should be on penalties in such a high-stakes situation, Foster replied: ‘Martin Odegaard, somebody where you go, “Yeah, go on then!”, just put the ball in the back of the net.

‘That would cast massive doubts now if I’m the Arsenal manager and Bukayo Saka’s going to be doing that.’

Arsenal fans will have been sweating as Saka was pictured wearing an ice pack around his right ankle following a nasty challenge from Ipswich defender Leif Davis at the weekend.

But Arteta has since confirmed that Saka is in contention play a part in the Gunners’ Premier League clash with Crystal Palace this evening.

‘We have to wait and see how he reacts after the session but it’s nothing too serious,’ the Arsenal head coach told reporters on Tuesday.

Asked whether there was a ‘good chance’ that Saka could feature versus Palace, the Spaniard replied: ‘Yeah, if we want to he will have a good chance to play.’

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