'Fresh and hungry' Saka the difference maker Arsenal need for Atletico rematch

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saka-bukayo/08NLEo06/"]Saka[/a] scored and provided an assist for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gyokeres-viktor/zaBZ1xIk/"]Viktor Gyokeres[/a] as Mikel Arteta's men bagged three goals for the first time in 16 games in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/fulham-69ZiU2Om/?mid=6sw2IgOM"]Saturday's 3-0 win over Fulham[/a].[/p][p]All three goals arrived before Saka was withdrawn by Arteta at half-time to protect the England winger, who has been nursing an Achilles injury in recent months.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/atl-madrid-jaarqpLQ/?mid=jcA0cXE5"]Arteta had one eye on Tuesday's visit of Atletico Madrid[/a], with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] hoping to reach just the second Champions League final in their history.[/p][p][b]The clash is evenly poised at 1-1 after a first leg dominated by penalty decisions in the Spanish capital.[/b][/p][embed guid="6db430ce-3199-4425-9033-0c3d2853ec05" url="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2051051673448071245" social-type="twitter" /][p]Both sides netted from the spot, but Arsenal thought they should have had a second penalty when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eze-eberechi/Stf4BYFn/"]Eberechi Eze[/a] was clipped inside the box.[/p][p]Saka was involved in that move, and his introduction as a substitute helped Arsenal turn the tide to finish the first leg on the front foot.[/p][p]The 24-year-old was recently handed a new four-year contract, reportedly making him the highest earner at the club.[/p][p]Saka has struggled to find his best form since a serious hamstring injury ruled him out for three months last season.[/p][p]Arteta, though, is hoping the attacker is both physically and mentally fresh to end Arsenal's long wait for silverware.[/p][h2]Saka 'fresh and hungry'[/h2][p]Saka's quick feet and deadly delivery left Gyokeres with the simple task of tapping into an empty net to settle the Premier League leaders' nerves early on against Fulham.[/p][p]The roles were reversed for the second as Saka latched onto the Swede's pass and arrowed a shot into the bottom corner for his 10th goal of an injury-disrupted campaign.[/p][p][b]"He certainly made a difference. He made two actions that decided the game, and we know what he's capable of," [/b]said Arteta.[/p][p][b]"He's come back in the most important period of the season, and now he's fresh.[/b][/p][p][b]"His mind is fresh, his hunger is at the highest possible height, and I think he needed a performance like that to impact the team, so that's a big platform for Tuesday."[/b][/p][image alt="Saka's heat map vs Fulham" id="c1988177-1064-41ab-b28f-24a85066218b" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform (Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs)" guid="bd7a27e2-3a76-40f0-a1d7-a1342e1cf129" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Robert Pires was part of the only previous Arsenal side to reach the Champions League final, a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in 2006.[/p][p]The Frenchman's wing play made him a legendary figure in north London for his part in two Premier League titles under Arsene Wenger, and he believes Saka can have an inspirational impact on his team-mates.[/p][p][b]"He's found his sharpness again, he's brought back his dribbling, his drive," [/b]Pires told AFP.[/p][p][b]"When you have players like him, capable of making the difference, it already does everyone a lot of good.[/b][/p][p][b]"Above all, he pulls the others along, getting them to do, or at least try to do, what he does."[/b][/p][p]Arsenal's miserly defence, which has conceded just six goals in 13 Champions League games, has carried them to the brink of the final.[/p][p]Now the onus is on Saka, nicknamed "star-boy" by the club's supporters, to provide the creative spark to take Arsenal to Budapest next month.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/europe/champions-league/"]Follow the Champions League semi-finals with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]