Saka: I'll keep gambling with fitness for England

Bukayo Saka, who will make his 50th appearance for England in his next match, has said he is willing to gamble with his fitness to play for his country.

The forward played 27 minutes of England's warm-up game against Costa Rica as his game-time was managed by Thomas Tuchel. Saka was substituted in the Champions League final as Arsenal lost to Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest, with the score level at the time of his substitution. His performance in that match was criticised.

Asked if he found it frustrating being judged while not 100% fit, Saka said it is a "gamble" he is willing to take. "Yeah, but I think as players it's the biggest gamble, especially if you're not feeling your sharpest. You have the choice whether you don't play or you put yourself out there knowing that people are going to judge you the same," Saka said. "And at the end of the day people don't really care how you're feeling, they expect you to deliver, they expect you to perform. I'm happy to take that gamble and it paid off I'd say, and I'm going to continue doing that - but like I said I'm feeling a lot better than I did in March and I'm ready to go, so I'm excited."

Saka is competing for a starting spot on the right wing with Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke, but says that despite competing for game-time they want the best for each other. "It's quite unique, two players that play in the same position to be as close as we are," Saka said. "Noni is like my brother on and off the pitch. We push each other and we speak every day. We have that mutual respect for each other and we want each other to do well. The good thing is that we play on the same team and that if one of us is doing well it is good for the other."