Burnley 0-5 Arsenal: Bukayo Saka scores twice as rampant Gunners keep pace with Liverpool in Premier League title race
Bukayo Saka’s double helped rampant Arsenal make club history and maintain the pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool in a match marred by a serious injury to Burnley’s Aaron Ramsey.
Martin Odegaard’s early strike put Mikel Arteta’s side under control and Saka added his 14th goal of the season from the penalty spot after Lorenz Assignon had felled Leandro Trossard.
The in-form England international then struck again early in the second half to take his tally to six in four games before Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz finished the job.
Arsenal have now won their first five league matches of 2024 – the first time they have achieved that in any calendar year – and scored 21 goals in the process. No wonder Odegaard marked his goal by holding his hand to his ear as a message to the party police.
Burnley’s tenth home defeat of the season was made worse when Ramsey fell awkwardly and his studs caught the turf after a challenge from Odegaard. The midfielder was taken away on a stretcher and was given oxygen to ease the pain.
Bukayo Saka scored twice to keep Liverpool under pressure with a 5-0 win over Burnley
Martin Odegaard opened the scoring after four minutes and brought Mikel Arteta’s team under control
The match was marred by a serious injury to Aaron Ramsey, who had to be stretchered off the field and given oxygen
The result means Arsenal remain two points behind Liverpool, having won at Brentford earlier in the day, while Burnley will slip into last place if Sheffield United get a result against Brighton on Sunday.
With Clarets boss Vincent Kompany serving a touchline ban, his assistant Craig Bellamy was a visible presence in the technical area and saw his side fall behind after four minutes.
Ironically, the home side had made a positive start in troubling Arsenal, but the first time the visitors reached the final third they scored.
Gabriel Martinelli’s pace took him close to the left flank and the Brazilian had the composure to look up and walk back to a group of teammates waiting on the edge of the area.
It came at the feet of Odegaard and his first time finish low in the corner gave James Trafford no chance, the Norwegian ending a run of twelve games without a goal.
A huge 39 points separated the two teams before kick-off, so the breakthrough was no surprise.
Martinelli was still given too much space, with Burnley midfielder Aaron Ramsey looking slow and right-back Assignon helping.
After chasing shadows for much of the opening half-hour, Burnley temporarily came out of their shell as dangerman Wilson Odobert wriggled free and forced David Raya into a save at his near post.
Leandro Trossard scored Arsenal’s fourth and they have now won five games
Kai Havertz sealed the defeat in 78 minutes, with Arsenal scoring 21 goals in five games
Normal service was then resumed. Saka would have plated Kai Havertz without a lunge interception by Berge. The winger then pushed another chance into the path of Leandro Trossard, who mis-kicked the Belgian.
Burnley’s midfield led by Josh Brownhill tried to disrupt the Gunners’ rhythm with minor fouls but could not prevent a second Arsenal goal before half-time.
Passes from Odegaard and Havertz opened up the Clarets defense and when Assignon slid in to challenge Trossard, he caught enough of the man for referee Jarred Gillett to award a penalty and give the defender a booking.
Odegaard and Saka tried to confuse Trafford by both holding the ball before the kick was taken. Ultimately, Saka took responsibility and buried it low to the goalkeeper’s left, the first time he had scored in four consecutive league games.
Arsenal’s goals came from both sides’ only shots on target in the opening 45 minutes. The second half started in a downpour, but Zeki Amdouni was wrapped up by then. During the break he hooked up with Johann Berg Gudmundsson to add some physical strength to the Burnley ranks.
The plan fell apart 90 seconds into the restart. Havertz fed Odegaard and he released Saka, who had moved inside the right edge of the penalty area.
On his weaker right foot, the 22-year-old then thundered a finish past Trafford at his near post and into the roof of the net.
The news got worse for Burnley when Ramsey suffered a blow to the knee shortly before the hour mark after being challenged by Odegaard and required lengthy on-field treatment before being carted off in pain.
Burnley remain 19th in the Premier League and are winless in eight games in all competitions
Craig Bellamy came on for Vincent Kompany, who is serving a touchline ban, and saw the Clarets sink to a heavy defeat
Jay Rodriguez came on for Burnley and Arsenal further increased the goal difference with a fourth after 66 minutes.
Havertz’s shot was blocked by Hannes Delcroix and Trossard fired it into the corner for the first time. It meant Arsenal had scored with the first four shots on target of the match and taken their goal difference to 20-2 in their five league games this year.
With Wednesday’s Champions League match in Porto in mind, Arteta was able to take out Saka, Ben White and Trossard with almost a quarter of the match remaining.
It didn’t stop the Arsenal flow and Havertz added a fifth after another Burnley disaster. Jakub Kiwior’s throw sailed over Dara O’Shea’s head and as Delcroix came over to cover Havertz, the German nutmegged before sliding a low finish past Trafford.