He falls too much — What Arsenal record holder said about Bukayo Saka

​O’Leary delivered his damning verdict on talkSPORT following Arsenal’s narrow 2-1 Premier League victory over Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, October 10.

​While Mikel Arteta’s side secured all three points thanks to goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Bruno Guimarães, Saka endured a quiet afternoon, failing to register a goal or an assist against the newly-promoted side. 

The blank extended a concerning run of form for the England international, prompting O’Leary to question the winger’s recent output since he signed a £300,000-per-week contract extension in February 2026.

​"He’s not the player that he was, without a doubt," O’Leary stated bluntly on talkSPORT. "He’s still a top player, but is he the player that got this fantastic new contract at Arsenal to make him one of the top-paid players in the country? I don’t think so at the moment."

​The former defender contrasted Saka’s struggles with the imperious form of his teammates, pointing to Declan Rice’s dominant midfield performance against Leeds.

​"I don’t know what’s happened. But when I look at the team and how it’s progressing, whose playing well and how great Declan Rice was yesterday, I think Saka has to step up again," O’Leary added.

​Beyond his statistical output, O’Leary was highly critical of a perceived change in Saka’s playing style.

​The club legend, who amassed 722 appearances and won two First Division titles (1988/89, 1990/91) during his 18-year tenure at Highbury, accused the 25-year-old of actively looking for fouls rather than taking on defenders with the directness that defined his breakthrough years.

​"I honestly don’t think he is [in top form]," O’Leary explained. "I really like the guy. But I do think one thing, seeing him grow up and get into the team before everyone knew how good he was, I think he goes down too much now."

​"I think he’s looking for that touch to go down and the player I saw before that was much more positive, he was not going to let the full-back put him on the deck, or anybody else," he concluded.

​Saka has registered three goals across eight appearances in all competitions this season, but his recent dip in form, compounded by the heavy expectations of his new salary, has begun to draw scrutiny.