Rio Ferdinand praises Arsenal’s ‘statement performance’ in 5-1 demolition of Sporting Lisbon – and singles out one star after Champions League triumph

Rio Ferdinand believes Arsenal‘s destruction of Sporting Lisbon shows they can still win the Premier League title – despite having a huge mountain to climb.

Their 5-1 victory on Tuesday night was their biggest away win in the Champions League since they thrashed Inter Milan in 2003. 

Mikel Arteta‘s side led from the seventh minute onwards and, barring a period of pressure early in the second half, they blew away the Portuguese champions, inflicting just their second defeat of the season. 

Ferdinand believes the result lays down a marker from a team who have struggled on the road – and highlighted Bukayo Saka as the principal man to thank.

‘Today is a statement performance and result. Sporting’s biggest defeat in two years, by the way. They’re a team that are dominant and used to winning,’ Ferdinand told TNT Sports. 

‘Arsenal have to get the credit tonight. Their away form hasn’t been great in Europe and that was a big question mark. I said before the game they need to prove they can go away if they want to challenge for anything in this tournament.

The pundit said that their first-half performnce was ‘the best I’ve seen Arsenal in a long time’ 

He singled out Bukayo Saka – who scored and assisted – for particular praise on Tuesday night

‘That first 45 in isolation was the best I’ve seen Arsenal in a long time. They were great in all areas. 

‘Arteta will say: ‘our best players are fit, now you’re seeing the true Arsenal’. They’re going to have to go on a real run if they’re going to get anywhere in the Premier League but I wouldn’t put it past them. 

‘They’ve shown in the past couple of years they can go on long winning streaks and they have to go on a hell of a run this season to stand any chance of winning the league. I wouldn’t put anything past this team. 

‘Saka today played like a seasoned veteran – holding off people, laying the ball off, making the right decisions all the way through it. Top-class performance. Everyone was saying this is a really tough game and they made it look easy.

‘We talk about how much this team missed (Martin) Odegaard but let’s not undercut or undervalue the importance of Saka. He had the armband on at the end and he could be Arsenal captain without a shadow of a doubt. He doesn’t need the armband – he’s a leader in this team already.

‘He leads with the ability to take the ball all the time – under pressure or no pressure, he wants the ball and wants to make something happen. Goals and assists, his consistency is through the roof.’

Saka was on the scoresheet with a second-half penalty to make it 4-1 and also provided the assist for Kai Havertz’s goal to put the Gunners 2-0 up early doors. 

Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Leandro Trossard also struck in a win that elevates Arsenal to seventh in the Champions League standings.

Saka could be a future captain of the club ‘without a shadow of a doubt’ and is already a leader

The synergy between Saka and Martin Odegaard on the right side was a delight to watch

Martin Keown reckons Saka and Odegaard are ‘are as good as anything in Europe’ together

If they can retain that position over the next three rounds of fixtures then the Gunners will progress automatically to the last 16 without needing to contest a play-off tie. 

Arteta was beaming after seeing his side’s best European performance on the road since he took on the managerial mantle in 2019. All the same, their domestic prospects have suffered amid a downturn in form, with Liverpool nine points ahead of them. 

Gunners legend Martin Keown heaped praise on Arteta’s charges after witnessing a watershed win at the Estadio Jose Alvalade. 

‘They’re building their reputation. Saka talked about belief and there were occasions this season where you felt the world was against them. They kept that belief,’ he told TNT Sports. 

‘Saka and Odegaard in tandem on the right-hand side are as good as anything in Europe. 

‘It’s one performance, one result. As Rio said, it’s going to be seven or eight games they have to win on the bounce to put Liverpool under any pressure in the Premier League. 

‘They’re the rules, that’s what happens, it’s a tough league and they have to keep winning. Tonight is a tremendous boost.’