Bukayo Saka set up Reece James to cross for Luke Shaw to score before assisting Mason Mount’s equaliser and nearly scoring a dramatic late winner himself, only to be thwarted by a spectacular save by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Following the game, Bukayo Saka wrote a statement on Instagram thanking the Wembley supporters and the team’s character, which Bellingham called the Arsenal winger ‘Leo’ in the comments section following his teammate’s second-half performance.
Why has Saka given the nickname of ‘Leo’?
And it was a very valid comparison by the Borussia Dortmund midfielder, with Bukayo Saka demonstrating exactly what he can give Gareth Southgate ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November.
Bukayo Saka came in in the 66th minute for Manchester City’s Phil Foden, and immediately took up his more natural role on the right side of the front three, where he excelled in a 25-minute cameo to spark England’s comeback from 2-0 down.
And it was a dramatic contrast to his performance against Italy three days earlier, when he started as a left-wing back – a position he hadn’t played in for two years – at the San Siro. The 21-year-old clearly struggled on the night, exposing his defensive inexperience.
But Saka, who was crowned England Men’s Player of the Year last week, returned to his preferred position against Germany and shown why he is one of the finest right-wingers in the Premier League by creating opportunities and causing serious issues in the final third.
Despite leading Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table with six wins in their first seven games, Saka has been criticised for a’slow’ start to the season, despite scoring one goal and assisting four others.
With his super-sub cameo at Wembley on Monday, he proved his naysayers wrong and demonstrated why he is a regular starter for Arsenal as well as the thrilling weapon he can be for England when they travel to the Middle East in less than two months.
Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford will be vying for a spot in Southgate’s World Cup squad, but Saka has delivered the perfect audition to suggest he should be ahead of the pack.
