Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta believes Bukayo Saka’s ‘aura’ can see them to Premier League glory. The Gunners could only bag a solitary win during Saka’s recent five-game injury absence, but his comeback from an Achilles problem has helped the club in turning a corner.

Last Saturday, Saka scored in Arsenal’s comprehensive 3-0 win against Fulham. Furthermore, the England international found the back of the net in the second-leg semifinal of the UEFA Champions League against Atletico Madrid.

When asked how important the 24-year-old is to Arsenal, Arteta said: “Obviously his role has grown around the club, around the team and on the pitch towards the opponent as well.

“You sense that. He has got a presence now, he has got an aura. He has got something special.

“He is a different player, he is a player that can change a game at any moment. And creating that fear in the opponent is something important.

“We would have loved to have him much more in recent weeks. But, I said to him, ‘if that’s the case, let’s use this in the best way — which is you are going to jump in fresh, motivated and with a different emotional state. You can really impact the team now’.

“And I feel extremely lucky, and I said this from the beginning, to find somebody at the club that you can lean into at any level.

“Knowing that he’s going to respond. Knowing that his heart is in the right place. Knowing that everything he does comes from certain values, certain education, certain principles.

“It’s been a joy. We know him on a human level. And on the football level, what he has provided to this club, and what he did the other night [against Atleti] was just remarkable.”

The Spaniard coach also heaped praise on Declan Rice, who has played a key role in the team’s success.

Arteta added: “Dec’s been outstanding for us, he’s one of our leaders, one of the main players without a doubt. And what he’s doing for the club, for the team, is just very powerful.”

Arsenal takes on West Ham on Sunday in an away game.