"Too early" - Bukayo Saka evaluates Arsenal's title hopes and praises summer signing for his performance against Liverpool

Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka has evaluated the Gunners' chances of winning the Premier League title this season following their 1-1 draw with Liverpool at the weekend (December 23).

The attacker played down suggestions that Mikel Arteta's side are the favorites to win the title and also showered praise on his colleague Declan Rice for his eye-catching display against the Reds on Saturday.

The 1-1 draw with Liverpool at the weekend meant that Arsenal maintained their position at the top of the Premier League table heading into Christmas. The Gunners have stood out in the English top flight so far this season and many consider them the favorites to win the title.

Bukayo Saka, however, thinks it is too early to make such a consideration as there's still a long way to go before the season concludes.

“I don’t think that you can talk about the title yet. I think it is still way too early for those discussions. We will take the point, we are still top of the table for Christmas, which is nice, but it is still too early for title talk,” he was quoted as saying by CaughtOffside.

Bukayo Saka also showered praise on Arsenal's summer signing Declan Rice for his incredible performance during the 1-1 draw with Liverpool at the weekend. The midfielder was everywhere on the pitch, connecting the dots in attack and defense to keep his side alive throughout the 90 minutes.

“He has brought a lot to the team, made us better. In games like today, he breaks up the play so well and wins the ball back and plays forward," Saka said.

“As an attacker, it is great to play with players like that as they get the team on the front foot. He has been so consistent this season, and [it was] another top performance today," he added.

Since joining the Gunners from West Ham United in the summer transfer window, Declan Rice has made 26 appearances across all competitions, recording three goals and two assists to his name. Bukayo Saka, meanwhile, has eight goals and 12 assists to his name in 24 matches so far this season.

What's next for Arsenal?

Following their 1-1 draw with Liverpool at the weekend, Arsenal will be back in action in the Premier League this midweek. They're scheduled to go head-to-head with West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday (December 28).

Arteta's side will lock horns with Fulham at Craven Cottage in what will be their last game of the year on Sunday (December 31) before opening 2024 with another high-profile clash with Liverpool on January 7; this time in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.

As it stands, the Gunners sit atop the Premier League table with 40 points in 18 games, having recorded 12 wins, four draws and two defeats to their name so far. They're still alive in the Champions League where they'll face Porto in the round of 16 in February.