Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka will endeavour to break a Gunners goalscoring record when the North London giants head to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth in Saturday's Premier League clash.
The 23-year-old already boasts 10 goal contributions from as many matches in the 2024-25 season, scoring three of his own while providing seven assists across all competitions.
No player in the top flight boasts more assists than Saka's seven in the current campaign, and the England international inspired Arsenal to a fabulous come-from-behind win against Southampton two weekends ago.
After Cameron Archer gave Southampton a shock lead in the second half, Saka teed up Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz before putting Arsenal out of sight late on, his 49th goal in the Premier League.
The Hale End graduate sparked serious concern among Gooners when he appeared to hurt his hamstring in England's 2-1 UEFA Nations League loss to Greece earlier this month, but he is said to be optimistic about his chances of being fit for Saturday's game.
Saka could become youngest Arsenal man to hit 50-goal landmark
© Imago
Should Saka play and score in the evening kickoff this weekend, he would become the youngest-ever Arsenal player to score 50 goals in the Premier League at just 23 years and 44 days old.
The winger already reached the half-century mark in all competitions back in February, where he became the youngest Gunner to net 50 goals overall since Frank Stapleton in 1978 by scoring in the 6-0 crushing of West Ham United in February.
However, Saka will not be the youngest-ever player to score 50 goals in the Premier League - that honour belongs to ex-Liverpool star Robbie Fowler, who was 20 years and 251 days when he hit that milestone.
Michael Owen was just three days older than Fowler when he scored his 50th Premier League goal, while Wayne Rooney, Romelu Lukaku and Cristiano Ronaldo also did so before their 23rd birthdays.
Ten players have managed to score 50 goals for Arsenal in the past, most recently Alexandre Lacazette, while Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Theo Walcott, Robert Pires, Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez have also done so.
Arsenal bidding for club win milestone against Bournemouth
© Imago
While Saka will be pursuing individual history on Saturday, Arsenal will also be chasing a milestone victory as a club, as a win would mark their 2,000th in the top flight of English football.
To date, only one club has ever earned 2,000 victories in the big time of English football - Liverpool, who currently sit on 2,065 successes and achieved their 2,000th against Newcastle United on December 16, 2021.
However, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is dealing with a plethora of fitness concerns ahead of the trip south, as Saka's fellow winger Martinelli picked up a calf issue on Brazil duty.
The Gunners are also waiting to hear whether Havertz and Thomas Partey will be fine after their international withdrawals, while Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jurrien Timber are in the same boat.
Martin Odegaard, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are definitely missing - the former two are said to have suffered recent setbacks - while backup goalkeeper Neto cannot face his parent club.
Ben Knapton
