There have been numerous debates raging between the fan bases of any two players in the history of football. Either it be Pele – Maradona, Zinedine Zidane – Ronaldinho or Lionel Messi – Cristiano Ronaldo, no one ever reached a conclusion. Such comparisons are common when two players possess similar traits and are the very best in their respective positions. In recent times, there are many debates ongoing like Mbappe – Haaland and Modric – De Bruyne. One such comparison which gets heated up at times is between Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.
The two Englishmen are probably the best for their respective sides. The flair and charisma they bring to the field are vital for their respective clubs. Looking at the impact Palmer has made since his move to Chelsea is worth a praise. He brought a sunshine of attacking prowess to a seemingly dead side of London. Even during the previous season, the 22-year-old was stellar in that dreadful season at Stamford Bridge.
On the other hand, Bukayo Saka is a starboy for Arsenal. He has been in the ranks of Arsenal academy since his childhood and is loved by every North Londoner. He is an extremely crucial figure in the system of Mikel Arteta and the recent success of Gunners in the league. Moreover, he is also a starter for his national side under Lee Carsley and when Gareth Southgate was there in England management. Nevertheless, the two fans never leave an opportunity to banter their opposition at times.
Is comparison between Palmer and Saka valid?
There can be differentiated opinions on the credibility of the debate. However, the fans loyal to any certain individual truly believe the debate’s validity. So lets have a look at the profile of both the young talents.
Cole Palmer has been raised in the ranks of Manchester City’s academy under Pep Guardiola. He was also a part of the first team squad a couple of seasons ago at Etihad. Though, he fall behind in the pecking order ahead of Foden, Mahrez and even Bernardo Silva. Consequently, the player decided a move away from the Sky Blues in search of a place in starting XI. It seemed that destiny bowed in front of him as an offer came in from Stamford Bridge. Since his move, no other player in the league has had a better goal contribution than the English international.
Bukayo Saka is a prodigy of Arsenal and a very long term investment as per fans perspective. The North Londoners were also not in a very happy state when Saka was incorporated into the senior squad. Although the club had some senior players, Saka made an immediate impact. After the tenure of Mikel Arteta started, Saka has not looked back since. He is currently one of the top wingers in the world and a very dynamic forward.
Even though the two may seem to have a similar position, their playing styles are poles apart. While Saka is purely a winger, Palmer is more of an inside forward. One is a very good inside forward/attacking midfielder while one is your typical modern day winger who can go both on the inside and the outside. For this reason comparisons between the two are not even that logical.
For a better understanding, Saka is a better player in 1v1 situation while Palmer gets his most when playing in a no.10 role with a forward ahead of him. Hence, one can never compare the two gems of football. Do drop your thoughts in the comments section below.
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