According to Metro Sport, former England manager Stuart Pearce has pointed to a lack of support from Kyle Walker as a key reason for Bukayo Saka’s difficulties at Euro 2024. Saka, who typically shines as a right-winger for Arsenal, has struggled to replicate his club form for the national team during the tournament.
Saka’s troubles are part of a broader issue, as several of England’s stars have failed to make a significant impact in Euro 2024. In a recent game, England faced a shortage at left-back, prompting manager Gareth Southgate to deploy Saka in that position during the second half. Despite this adjustment, Saka hopes to return to his favored right-wing position for the upcoming match against Switzerland.
Pearce believes that Saka’s struggles can be attributed to inadequate support from Kyle Walker, the right-back playing behind him. According to Pearce, Walker needs to be more proactive in assisting Saka, creating opportunities for the young winger to excel.
"I feel sorry for Saka," Pearce said, as quoted by Metro Sport. "Because, and I’ve mentioned it many times on commentary, Kyle Walker as a full-back is not helping this boy out. He’s got to do more for him. He really has. Because I like Saka, I think he’s an outstanding player. But unless you’ve got a distraction run from your full-back, your work is that much harder to try and get turned and face the opposition up."