- Arsenal star Bukayo Saka met William Saliba’s grandmother at the Emirates Stadium to watch the Gunners beat Burnley
- Saliba played the full 90 minutes, helping Arsenal keep a clean sheet which helped them win their final home game
- Saka assisted Kai Havertz for Arsenal’s goal, which pushed them closer to their first Premier League title in 22 years
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka met William Saliba’s grandmother Gunners’ final home game of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
Bukayo Saka assisted Kai Havertz’s first-half goal to help Arsenal beat relegated Burnley and open up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Source: Getty Images
A video via Arsenal’s Instagram page showed the grandmother at the Emirates Stadium to witness his grandson play a vital role as Arsenal continue to push for the league title.
Saka’s show of respect to Saliba’s grandmother shows the connection he shared with his own grandmother who hails from and resides in Oro, Kwara State, in the North Central region of Nigeria, and has deep ties to the Yoruba ancestry and culture.
Saka shares a emotional connection to his grandmother, whom he credited for giving him his first name “Bukayo”, which means “God has added to my joy”.
“My grandma gave it to me because of its meaning. It means ‘God has added joy to my life.’ She wanted me to add joy to the family, so she named me that… Every time she called me, that’s probably what I meant to her,” he told GQ Style in 2022.
Saka assisted Kai Havertz’s goal for Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Burnley, which pushed them closer to the title with a five-point lead over Manchester City.
The Gunners could be confirmed as Premier League champions later tonight if Manchester City fail to beat Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
It’s been a long wait for Arsenal’s first Premier League title since the 2003/04 Invincibles, and they have finished second in the last three consecutive seasons.
Arteta’s post-match speech
As a custom in most football leagues, the team gave a lap of honour around the stadium for the fans in their final home match at the Emirates Stadium.
Before the lap, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta took the microphone and spoke to the fans, appreciating their support so far and demanding more.
“It’s an absolute joy to witness the transformation and the contribution each of you have had to turn this place into the most beautiful place to enjoy and play our football games,” he said as quoted by Evening Standard.
Source: Getty Images
“This is the soul of this football club, and each of you contributes to that. So make sure that every time you step into this stadium, you face the responsibility now to match keep it at this standard because it makes such a difference for us and all the players.”
He reminded the fans that they have more responsibility in Budapest for the Champions League final, but first, they must thank the players and staff for the brilliant season.
Supercomputer predicts Premier League winner
Legit.ng previously reported that Opta’s supercomputer predicted the Premier League champions after Arsenal beat Burnley 1-0 to go five points clear at the top of the table.
Arsenal moved closer to their first Premier League title in 22 years, but there is a mathematical scenario where Manchester City pip them to it.
Source: Legit.ng