Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte will 'fear' Arsenal's Bukayo Saka ahead of tonight's north London derby.
The Hale End academy graduate has enjoyed a stellar season with the Gunners, netting 11 Premier League goals and providing a further five assists. His impressive output has helped Mikel Arteta 's side climb to fourth in the Premier League standings, currently sitting four points above local rivals Spurs in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification.
However, the two north London sides will battle it out tonight, with controversial pundit Sutton claiming that Conte will be wary of the danger that Saka possesses in the final third. Writing in his column for The Daily Mail, he said: “Has anyone checked Saka’s boots for super glue?
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"The way the ball sticks to him, it is a splendid display of control, and Davies has his work cut out for him. As the man on the left of Tottenham’s back three, Saka is his problem.
“If there is one forward that Antonio Conte fears most, it is this 20-year-old, who scored in the reverse fixture in September. Who tops Arsenal’s list for goals? Saka.
"For shots? Saka. For dribbles attempted and completed? Saka. He is only one behind Alexandre Lacazette for assists, too.
“As in all games, the result will largely come down to the head-to-head duels and Saka is someone who can make defenders look foolish.”
However, Arsenal fans face an anxious wait on whether or not the talented youngster will be available to face the Lillywhites, with Arteta confirming in his pre-match press conference that the club's reigning player of the year was a doubt. Speaking ahead of the match, the Spaniard said: " Thomas [Partey] is still out, Kieran [Tierney] is still out and with Ben [White] he is still a doubt, we have to assess him and see how he is feeling, which is much better. With Bukayo [Saka] it’s the same.
"It’s very difficult to rate with injuries, it’s just how they feel today, that’s the last day that we can assess them and try to get the feeling, basically."
