FERDINAND MAKES BLASPHEMOUS SAKA CLAIM AMID MAINOO PRAISE – ‘HE WASN’T DOING THIS AT 18’

Anton Ferdinand has bizarrely used Kobbie Mainoo’s form as a stick to beat Bukayo Saka with, claiming that the Arsenal star was not doing what the Manchester United midfielder was at the age of 18.

Saka made his Arsenal debut under Unai Emery two months after his 17th birthday, appearing against Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League in November 2018.

Kobbie Mainoo at 18 > Bukayo Saka at 18?

His first goal for the Gunners came in the same competition against Eintracht Frankfurt, netting his maiden Premier League goal at Wolves in July 2020.

In the 2019/20 campaign, Saka scored four and assisted 12 across all competitions. He was doing this at the 17 and 18.

Having become a regular starter under Mikel Arteta, the 22-year-old enjoyed another productive season while playing in several positions varying from left-back to central midfield, providing 17 goal contributions in 46 matches, going to the European Championships with England in the summer.

And we all know what the back-to-back England Player of the Year has gone on to achieve since the 20/21 campaign, blossoming into a world-class winger and one of the best players in world football.

Mainoo, meanwhile, deserves the utmost praise for how impressive he has been for Manchester United, and now the Three Lions.

However, if we ever needed an excuse to ban heading in football…

Speaking on The Take On podcast, Ferdinand has boldly claimed that the “generational talent” Gareth Southgate and Erik ten Hag have on their hands is eclipsing anything the “inconsistent” Saka was doing at Mainoo’s age.

‘”Kobbie Mainoo is an unbelievable talent,” Ferdinand began. “A generational talent, 100 per cent. Not just on the ball but the way he is on the pitch.

“To go from the Under 18s straight to the first team and look like he’s been there for years tells you everything about the kid. He has done that at United.

“What we are seeing right now is something we haven’t seen in a long, long time.

“People talk about Saka. Saka weren’t doing this in my opinion. He weren’t doing this at 18. It is the truth. What was he doing?”

Stunned host Abbi Summers commented: “I think he was doing it.”

To which Ferdinand responded: “But he was inconsistent. Kobbie Mainoo is not inconsistent.”

This sort of blasphemy will not be tolerated at Football365. Saka was carrying Arsenal on his back as a teenager and is a huge reason they are now title contenders.

As Anton’s not-so-wise brother Rio Ferdinand once said: “People try and make comparisons about who’s better, just enjoy them, man.”

Anton Ferdinand has previous

This is not the first time the former West Ham, Sunderland and QPR defender has criticised Saka.

In January, Ferdinand called on Arteta to drop the England winger – who was in need of “a kick up the bum”.

“In terms of Saka, sometimes as footballers, and I’ve been there, sometimes you need a kick up the bum,” he claimed.

“But whether you have one or not, he’s in a rut right now. Sometimes it might be ‘come out, because you’re not good enough right now’.

“It gives him a reality check. I need to up my game again. Because he’s still young by the way. He’s young, so young players need that.

“As long as it’s done to them in the right way and they’re dealt with properly after it, they need that. I think Saka is in need of that right now.”

2024-03-28T13:52:12Z dg43tfdfdgfd