Arteta refuses to engage with Souness after 'cheat' label on Saka

Mikel Arteta shut down questions about Graeme Souness’s accusation that Bukayo Saka is a ‘cheat’ at a press conference on Tuesday, saying he had no intention of engaging with the former Liverpool midfielder’s remarks ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Souness sparked widespread debate earlier this week during an appearance on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored programme, where he accused Saka of diving whenever he looked like losing possession. “Your man Saka dives all over the place,” Souness said. “The minute he looks like losing possession, he’s down. He simulates a foul. Anyone who simulates a foul in my book would be a cheat.”

Souness also argued the problem extended well beyond Saka, suggesting simulation was one of the two things most commonly cited by fans as a blight on the modern game, alongside VAR. “If you asked 100 people what is it you dislike about the modern game, 50 per cent would say simulation, another 50 per cent would say VAR,” he added.

Arteta was having none of it. Asked directly about the comments, the Arsenal manager said: “I haven’t heard it and I’m not going to talk about opinions.” When pressed on whether such public accusations could damage a player’s reputation, he remained measured but firm: “We are open to opinions. It’s part of our job, it’s part of our roles and those opinions need to be respected — especially if they are done in a respectful way. And we are here to prove that we belong to this level, to this stage and certainly always have the intention and ambition to improve and be better. That’s it.”

Saka is expected to start against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, with Arsenal looking to make their mark in the Champions League knockout rounds.