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Former England midfielder Steven Gerrard has hailed Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka after his hat-trick against North Macedonia on Monday (June 19).
The Three Lions hammered the Lynxes 7-0 at Old Trafford in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers to continue their march towards the finals in Germany next year. Saka scored a brilliant hat-trick; Harry Kane netted a brace, while Kalvin Phillips and Marcus Rashford also scored in the rout for Gareth Southgate's side.
Saka scored in the 38th minute with a clinical strike off his weaker right foot from a narrow angle. He then got on the end of a lovely long ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold and hammered a half-volley from outside the box in the 47th minute. The Arsenal winger completed his hat-trick in the 51st minute, getting on the end of a Harry Kane pass and finishing neatly past Macedonia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.
The Arsenal winger rightly earned immense praise from fans and pundits alike, including Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. The former midfielder was in awe of Saka's second goal and hailed the 21-year-old's potential.
"We were right behind the (second) goal. Saka knows as soon the ball comes inside, he can get on his bike. There's still plenty to do. The strike was absolutely wow," Gerrard told the Daily Mail.
"He comes across as so humble. The scary thing is he's only going to get better. Being around talented players here, he's got the world at his feet. He's got world-class potential," he added.
Saka has now scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 28 games for England. The youngster has played 179 games for Arsenal across competitions, bagging 38 goals and 40 assists.
Joe Cole hails Arsenal's Bukayo Saka
Former Chelsea winger Joe Cole also heaped praise on Bukayo Saka, especially for his second goal for England against North Macedonia on Monday. He labeled Saka as the 'future' of English football (via Daily Mail):
"What a performance, that's the face of English football's future. Of all the players we've got, he seems to be the number one on the right wing. He hit it in with violence; his first touch is perfect, and he had the composure and technique right."
Saka has certainly carried on his form from the 2022-23 season, where he helped Arsenal compete for the Premier League title. He scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 38 league games as the Gunners finished only behind champions Manchester City.
