Bukayo Saka hits double as five-star Arsenal thrash sorry Norwich City

England attacker scores two for in-form Gunners while Canaries remain rock bottom

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, centre, celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Norwich City at Carrow Road. AFP

Bukayo Saka scored twice as Arsenal coasted to a 5-0 Boxing Day victory at Norwich to strengthen their hopes of a top-four Premier League finish.

The Gunners have been able to fulfil all of their fixtures of late as others in the table see games postponed due to Covid cases and Mikel Arteta’s side made light work of rock-bottom Norwich at Carrow Road.

Saka scored in both halves, his brace coming either side of a Kieran Tierney finish with Alexandre Lacazette winning and converting a late penalty and Emile Smith Rowe striking after coming off the bench as Arsenal outclassed the Canaries.

The result means Arsenal enjoyed back-to-back away league wins for the first time this season and sit six points clear inside the Champions League places. Norwich remain bottom on 10 points.

“It's a very satisfying result because in this festive period we have to keep performances to a high level,” said Arteta.

“We looked really sharp and committed. It's a big win for us. I am really pleased. The amount of chances we create is pleasing.”

Saka set the tone early on, collecting a pass from the impressive Martin Odegaard before slotting past Angus Gunn — the goalkeeper in for regular first-choice Tim Krul, one of a number of positive Covid cases in Dean Smith’s squad.

The second came just before the break after another fine ball from Odegaard allowed Tierney to break into the box and fire in low across Gunn for his fourth goal for the club.

Saka’s second goal in the 67th minute was a fine finish as the England winger turned Brandon Williams inside out before striking home from the edge of the box.

Lacazette was bundled over in the box by Ozan Kabak six minutes from time and picked himself up to tuck away the resulting penalty before Smith Rowe scored off the bench for the second league outing in succession.

Norwich manager Dean Smith said: “I have used a tennis terminology in the dressing room to describe our performance — it was littered with unforced errors.

“We're not making the most of the big chances. I can stand here like every other manager and say we have had illnesses and injuries. But we have to be better than we were today.”