The numbers that answer the questions about Saka's form

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Bukayo Saka has three goals in five Premier League games this season, yet the scrutiny around Arsenal's number seven has not gone away.

The winger has not reached double figures for league goals since 2023/24, when he scored 16. Injuries and inconsistency have followed since, and his combined haul from the last two league campaigns sits three short of that single best season.

After missing much of last season and then the World Cup through injury, Saka returned as a Premier League champion and has started all five of Arsenal's league fixtures so far. He scored the second goal against Coventry City on the opening day, the winner against Aston Villa, and won and converted the penalty at Sunderland.

What the data says

A deep dive by football.london's Tom Canton, using FotMob data, compared Saka to other Premier League wingers on a per-90 basis. He ranks in the top 10% for goals (0.65), the top 8% for non-penalty expected goals (0.69), the top 15% for shots (3.23) and the top 4% for shots on target (1.94).

There is more. Saka sits in the top 18% for successful crosses (1.29), the top 25% for successful dribbles (1.51), the top 6% for duel win percentage (58.5%) and the top 20% for duels won (6.46). He wins 3.23 fouls per 90, a top 6% figure, and registers 6.46 touches in the opposition box, placing him in the top 14%.

Context matters too. Three of those five matches were away trips to Aston Villa, Sunderland and Brighton, two of which Arsenal failed to win last season. The home games included a 2-1 victory over Chelsea when both sides had maximum points.

Areas still to sharpen

The report also identifies where Saka can improve. His finishing is currently underperforming, with two non-penalty goals from 2.42 non-penalty expected goals, and his recorded top speed this season of 32.2km/h is down from 33.7km/h last term.

His shot map shows three efforts from outside the box, none of which have hit the target — an area he was previously known for. His heat map, meanwhile, shows him operating closer to the touchline than in the previous two seasons, when he was cutting inside earlier and seeing more of the ball.

Saka is also managing Achilles tendonitis, an issue that requires ongoing management alongside the Arsenal medical staff rather than one that simply clears up.

He finished last season strongly, scoring against Atletico Madrid on the way to Arsenal's second Champions League final, netting the only goal in a 1-0 win at Brighton, scoring and assisting in a 3-0 win over Fulham, and crossing for Kai Havertz to win the Burnley game before the title was confirmed.

With Martin Odegaard and Havertz also back among the goals, the trio are combining consistently for the first time since 2023/24. Saka is away with England before Leeds United visit the Emirates Stadium.