Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp returned to his former club at the weekend as he watched the Gunners beat Manchester United 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium. After the game, he had a special message for Hale End graduates Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka.
The duo already occupy two of the most iconic shirts you can have as an Arsenal player, with Smith Rowe wearing the 'Iceman's' No.10, whilst Saka dons the No.7. They're doing those shirts justice so far, too. Not only are they a strong part of Mikel Arteta's vision for Arsenal, but they've also stepped it up another level this season.
Saka scored his 11th Premier League goal of the season in the win over the Red Devils, whilst Smith Rowe is just one behind him. They're bound to keep improving with time, and Bergkamp has identified how they can do exactly that.
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When the 52-year-old signed for Arsenal back in 1995, English players like Tony Adams, David Seaman, Ian Wright and Steve Bould were amongst the Gunners' dressing room. He said he learnt a lot from the English players, because they knew what it meant to play for a club of Arsenal's stature.
Now, he would like to see Smith Rowe and Saka share that same level of 'aggression' and 'passion' as those club legends: "We learned a lot from the English guys," he told the duo in a video shared on Arsenal's Twitter page. "They know what English football means. They know what Arsenal means. And you guys know that as well.
"So if you bring that to the team, fantastic. You know that aggression, that passion, that’s what I like about you. You can tell you are English guys."
Arsenal can finish in the Champions League spots for the first time since the 2015-16 season if they hold their nerve in the final five games of the season. Smith Rowe and Saka can be at the heart of that achievement, especially if they take Bergkamp's advice under consideration.
