Bukayo Saka and Ødegaard lead rampant Arsenal to rout of Burnley

Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring Arsenal’s third goal in their thrashing of Burnley. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

Remember the fall-out from Arsenal’s FA Cup exit at home to Liverpool? It was only six matches ago after all, and seemingly irrefutable evidence that Mikel Arteta’s side were destined for a fruitless season unless they signed a proven goalscorer. One did not arrive, but 21 Arsenal goals have in the five games since. Burnley were the latest to suffer from the rampant, creative energy that has catapulted Arsenal back into title contention.

With Martin Ødegaard conducting another irrepressible away performance at Turf Moor Arsenal made it five successive Premier League wins through their captain, a Bukayo Saka double, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz. It was the first time in Arsenal’s history that they have won five consecutive games since the start of the year. The range of goalscorers underlined a team taking responsibility. Burnley’s only cheer on a trying afternoon came when the PA announced the cancellation of the late train back to London.

Arteta unsurprisingly stuck with the same lineup that routed West Ham on Sunday. His wish for more of the same was immediately granted as Arsenal scored from their first attack. Declan Rice set the breakthrough in motion by sending Gabriel Martinelli sprinting down the left. Meeting little resistance from the Burnley right-back Lorenz Assignon, the Brazilian had time to pick out Ødegaard lurking unmarked on the edge of the penalty area and flicked a perfect cross into the path of his captain. Ødegaard controlled with his first touch and swept his second into James Trafford’s bottom corner.

The Norway international’s eighth goal of the season marked the start of an immaculate display from the midfielder. Ødegaard operated on a different plain to the opposition, his vision, timing and technique making everything look so easy.

Burnley had performed well in defeat at Liverpool last weekend, where a third yellow card of the campaign for Vincent Kompany resulted in an afternoon in the Turf Moor stands for the Burnley manager. With assistant Craig Bellamy directing proceedings from the technical area instead, Kompany had an elevated view of a far more comprehensive beating. Burnley struggled to disrupt Arsenal’s rhythm, retain possession or pressurise the visiting defence. They also failed to read Kai Havertz’s diagonal runs from the left and, with Ødegaard finding them repeatedly, it was only a matter of time before Arsenal extended their lead.

Leandro Trossard had two good chances to add a second but was foiled attempting to round Trafford and produced an air-shot after Ødegaard, Havertz and Saka combined to prise apart the Burnley defence. Sander Berge prevented Martinelli tapping in from Saka’s cross when Ødegaard caught the hosts napping with a quick free-kick, but Burnley were finally caught out when the Arsenal captain found Havertz darting into space yet again. The Germany international’s first touch sent Trossard through on goal and he was unceremoniously upended by Assignon. Saka swept a blatant penalty just past the despairing dive of Trafford.

There were a few boos from home fans at the half-time whistle. Their despondency never lifted. Saka scored his sixth goal in four games within two minutes of the restart following another superb pass from Ødegaard, who threaded the ball behind the left-back Hannes Delcroix into the forward’s path. Saka took the invitation in his stride and blazed an unstoppable finish into the roof of the Burnley net.

Ødegaard was also involved in the serious injury that befell Aaron Ramsey in the second half, though no blame was attached to the Arsenal midfielder. Ramsey rode a challenge from Ødegaard and then appeared to get his foot caught in the turf, his right knee buckling in the process. The unfortunate Burnley player was stretchered off in distress and needed oxygen on the way off.

Trossard, having spurned another good opening, sent an emphatic finish beyond Trafford after Ødegaard (who else?) released Jakub Kiwior down the left and his low cross eventually found its way to the in-form striker. Arsenal’s fifth was galling from a Burnley perspective, and cue for thousands of home fans to leave early. It came direct from a long throw by Kiwior down the line to Havertz, who simply took the ball away from a dozing Burnley defence, nutmegged Delcroix, and beat Trafford with a nonchalant finish. “We want six,” chanted a jubilant away support. For once Arsenal did not oblige. There were no complaints.