Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday he plans to use the effective closure of the strategic waterway, through which 20% of the world's oil supplies passes, as leverage against the US and Israel. Speaking to Sky News' Wilfred Frost, Scott Bessent said: "My belief is that as soon as it is militarily possible, the US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will be escorting vessels through." He added: "There are, in fact, tankers coming through now, Iranian tankers, I believe some Chinese flag tankers have come through. So we know that they have not mined the straits." Iran war latest: follow live As the war nears the two-week mark, Mr Khamenei, in a fiery opening address, promised retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes, saying he "will not refrain from avenging" the blood of their "martyrs" - as a new wave of Israeli strikes hit Beirut. Iran's relentless attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf had earlier pushed oil back above $100 a barrel, with stocks dropping worldwide on Thursday. The hike in oil prices came despite the shock announcement the previous day that developed countries would release 400 million barrels of oil from their ⁠strategic reserves - nearly half ​from the US. Read more:What we know about the deadly Iran school strikeHow Iran can block the Strait of Hormuz During the wide-ranging interview, Mr Bessent was called to the Situation Room, an intelligence facility in the West Wing of the White House, and when asked if the escort had been discussed, he did not deny it, saying: "Your words, not mine." Speaking after the interview, Mr Frost said that while the market isn't expecting the safe passage of ships in any meaningful way in the days ahead, Mr Bessent's implication in the interview might suggest otherwise. Earlier on Thursday, the US energy secretary, speaking to CNBC, ruled out the possibility that the US will imminently take action to escort oil traffic through the strait. "It'll happen relatively soon but it can't happen now," Chris Wright said. "We're simply not ready." In the interview, Mr Bessent also mentioned that the war has so far cost the US around $11bn. Mr Frost asked the treasury secretary if there was a price that could cause him to confront US President Donald Trump and say the war is no longer affordable. He replied: "Absolutely not." The economic turmoil comes in the wake of a row between Washington and London. Mr Trump hit out at the UK again last week, saying the US does not need anyone to "join wars after we've already won" following its initial refusal to allow the US to launch its initial attacks on Iran from British bases. Sir Keir Starmer later granted the US use of British facilities for "defensive" action against Iranian missile sites. Questioned on the special relationship and whether Sir Keir had put lives at risk with his response to the Iran war, Mr Bessent, who has previously lived in London, said: "We delayed being able to fully implement the military plan, and I think that the main concern was the use of base Diego Garcia, and the US B-2s had to do a 37-hour round trip rather than, I think it's about a three, three-and-a-half-hour round trip and constantly refuelling. "So I think any delay causes an increase in risk." He added: "President Trump is the commander-in-chief of US forces. Being in the Situation Room with him, he so solemnly takes that leadership role in terms of his commitment to maintaining the lives of our servicemen. "Anything that upsets that, upsets him, and I think that's what got the very strong reaction." But Mr Bessent also recognised that the two nations have a "great historical relationship". When asked how unhappy Mr Trump is with the prime minister right now, he said: "Belatedly, the prime minister offered to put resources in the region. We have a long-term relationship." He noted that while there will be "some bumps in the road", he thinks the relationship will "eventually get back on track". On whether Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should testify to Congress, the US treasury secretary said: "That's a matter for Congress." He added: "If Congress requests for you to come, you should come." Lord Mandelson was sacked from his job as the UK's ambassador to the United States over his links to Jeffrey Epstein. The ex-Labour cabinet minister has previously denied any wrongdoing over his relationship with the paedophile financier. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform had asked Andrew to cooperate with its investigation into Epstein's sex trafficking operations in November. He failed to respond to their request for an interview and has previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. The full interview of "The Master Investor Podcast with Wilfred Frost" is available to watch on YouTube or to listen wherever you get your podcasts.

It's about one thing only: Fashion. The world's most famous catwalk, it has the power to take a celebrity's style moment and elevate it into historical popular culture. So, as we get ready for the 2026 Academy Awards on Sunday, we're celebrating the red-carpet risk-takers and most memorable Oscar looks over the years.

The former Labour deputy leader's comments on Sky's Electoral Dysfunction podcast come after the government published documents detailing the vetting process undergone by Lord Mandelson when he was made US ambassador last year. He was subsequently sacked over his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Politics latest: Starmer facing questions after files released Baroness Harman told Sky News politics editor Beth Rigby: "I'm sure the opposition will be looking at the documents to see whether or not there's absolute consistency between what the prime minister said to the House of Commons and what's in the documents, because if there's not then it will raise the issue of misleading the House." The veteran Labour peer, who was deputy leader while Lord Mandelson was in Gordon Brown's cabinet, led the parliamentary inquiry into whether Boris Johnson misled the House of Commons over the partygate scandal. She was highly critical of Sir Keir's decision to hand the ambassador job to Mandelson. "Why on earth would you have any trust in somebody whose actions had already required them to be fired twice?" she said. "The question is, how Keir Starmer could have gone ahead with that appointment when there was already more or less a prediction that there was going to be a problem? "It was just inevitably going to go wrong, which of course it did." Baroness Harman said the evidence contained in the files published this week - and seen by the PM when he made the appointment - should have told him Lord Mandelson was the "wrong person". Sir Keir has claimed Lord Mandelson lied repeatedly during the vetting process. Lord Mandelson has previously denied any wrongdoing over his relationship with Epstein, and has apologised to the financier's victims. But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said he should resign over the revelations, accusing Sir Keir of having "lied repeatedly about what he knew when, and how". The documents revealed Sir Keir was informed before the appointment that: • Lord Mandelson was "particularly close" with Epstein and there was a "general reputational risk" to appointing him • He stayed in Epstein's house in 2009 while he was in jail for procuring an underage girl • Lord Mandelson agreed to be a "founding citizen" of an ocean conservation group founded by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's girlfriend, and funded by Epstein. The documents also revealed: • National security adviser Jonathan Powell was particularly cautious about Lord Mandelson's appointment • Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir's then-chief of staff, said he was "satisfied" with Lord Mandelson's responses to questions about his relationship with Epstein • Sir Keir was warned against making a political appointment, rather than a diplomatic one, and was told it could expose the PM • Lord Mandelson asked for a settlement payment of £574,201 for his seven-month tenure, but agreed to £75,000 "with minimal fuss".

There were mutterings on the continent of the supposed dangers of the dominance of the Premier League after they saw nine sides progress to the last 16 of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference Leagues, more than anyone else in Europe. Champions League results and fixtures However, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Chelsea all suffered damaging three-goal defeats on the road, Premier League champions Liverpool lost at Galatasaray, while Newcastle United and Arsenal only managed draws with just six goals scored and 16 conceded as no English side recorded a first-leg last-16 win in six European ties for the first time since 2022-23. Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace do all have the chance to change that stat when they are in action in the Europa and Conference League on Thursday night, while England still remain top of UEFA's season association coefficients table. Former Spurs and Man City midfielder Michael Brown said the last two days has been "a massive blow to English football. We've had a reality check" on Soccer Special - so why have the cream of the Premier League struggled so much? Arsenal sluggish again as Havertz rescues Gunners Kai Havertz's late penalty, converted at the home of his boyhood club, may come to be seen as crucial in Arsenal's tie with Bayer Leverkusen. The draw puts the Gunners in a strong position to advance from next week's second leg at the Emirates Stadium. Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Arsenal - Match report, analysisArsenal news & transfers🔴⚪ | Arsenal fixtures & scores But the performance preceding the equaliser was another which had Arsenal fans pining for more fluidity and creativity. Mikel Arteta's side struggled to turn possession into chances, mustering only six shots, by far their lowest total in Europe this season. Noni Madueke added some much-needed attacking threat from the bench. Arteta was grateful to have him. "To have a player with that ability when you need him, and to step in in the manner that he did, big credit to him," said the manager. But few others shone. It might be that the collective sluggishness of their performances simply doesn't matter. They are after grinding out results at a crucial point in the season, unbeaten in 12 games, alive on four fronts. Defensively, they continue to look a cut above the rest. Arsenal fans will just hope their side can find a little more fluency and cutting edge, and take some of the stress out of a season which has become a slog rather than a sprint.Nick Wright Deja vu for Liverpool as familiar failings strike in Istanbul Liverpool arrived in Istanbul for their first-leg last-16 showdown as strong favourites to progress to the quarter-finals, with Opta giving Arne Slot's side an 82.3 per cent chance of making the last eight. As it happened | Teams | StatsLiverpool news & transfers🔴 | Liverpool fixtures & scores The Premier League champions, who finished third in the league phase, were able to field a near full-strength lineup at the Turk Telekom Arena, but for the second time already this season struggled to impose their game on Galatasaray. Another familiar failing cost the visitors as Mario Lemina was left unmarked from a corner to head home the early winner and despite 15 attempts at goal, including a disallowed second-half effort, the misfiring Reds left the Turkish capital goalless and empty-handed. Liverpool are still given a 51.4% chance of making the quarters by Opta, but their lethargy by the banks of the Bosporus shows that just because an English team performed well in the league phase offers no guarantees of success come the knockouts.Rich Morgan Newcastle miss huge opportunity as inexperience punished It's still all to play for in Barcelona for Newcastle, but Tuesday night will go down in history as a major missed opportunity for Eddie Howe's side. As it happened | Teams | StatsNewcastle news & transfers⚫⚪ | Newcastle fixtures & scores The Magpies had more shots, more efforts on targets and a higher xG from open play before Lamine Yamal scored a late penalty that earned Barcelona a fortuitous lifeline. Despite the level score, when Newcastle travel to Barcelona next week, though, they will be major underdogs and they have themselves to blame. Howe's side were taught a harsh lesson. For all their positive play, the moment at which Newcastle should have turned the pursuit for a second into stewardship of their goal advantage was missed. Instead, Newcastle were frantic in the last minute, hoofing balls forward and failing to compose themselves as they sprinted towards the final whistle. Dan Burn was told by Howe to go up for a late free-kick opportunity, while second-half sub Anthony Gordon, who may have been better suited to start given the fact that despite illness played 30 minutes, added an unnecessary pace to the game that Newcastle needed to control. In many ways, Malick Thiaw's clumsy challenge on Dani Olmo symbolised Newcastle's erratic behaviour towards the end of play. Rather than standing up his man, the eagerness to 'get rid' overcame Thiaw who gave away the penalty. There was much positive to take from Newcastle's display, but a home advantage against last season's semifinalists wasn't fully taken advantage of.Will Bitibiri Yet another calamitous night for Spurs Where do you start with Tottenham? Igor Tudor's 17-minute experiment with Antonin Kinsky piles pressure on Spurs bossSpurs 'fragile' and 'weak' and Igor Tudor can't even say he deserves to stick aroundAs it happened | Teams | StatsSpurs news & transfers⚪ | Spurs fixtures & scores The 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid was shambolic, to say the least, with defender Micky van de Ven saying his side were in a "doomsday scenario" after conceding three goals in 17 minutes before goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who was brought in to replace Guglielmo Vicario, was substituted. "Everything that could go wrong went wrong," Van de Ven told Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport. "For 15 minutes we just conceded goals that you really can't do anything about." The game was done and dusted inside those calamitous 17 minutes and it was a fourth straight defeat for interim boss Igor Tudor, whose position is now under intense scrutiny despite only being appointed on February 14. So, where do Spurs go from here after losing a sixth straight game in all competitions for the first time in the club's history? While Tudor looks set to take charge against Liverpool at the weekend, it remains to be seen whether he will still be in charge for the return leg against Atletico next week in north London. With any hopes of Champions League progress in ruins, focus will now and should ultimately turn to avoiding an unthinkable relegation from the Premier League.Oli Yew Pep's attacking gamble backfires in Madrid It's not the first time Pep Guardiola has gambled tactically in a big game, and this one went horribly wrong in the Bernabeu for Man City. As it happened | Teams | StatsMan City news & transfers🔵| Man City fixtures & scores Going into the game, the Premier League side were heavy favourites against Real side missing several players, including top scorer Kylian Mbappe and England midfielder Jude Bellingham. Did that play into Guardiola's thinking with his ambitious attacking line-up? Did he think he could win this tie in the first leg with a team featuring Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku and Savinho? What followed was a disaster for City as Real Madrid picked them apart with ease, Federico Valverde the beneficiary as his stunning first-half hat-trick put Guardiola's men on the brink of Champions League elimination. "Man City didn't have the answers to Real Madrid," former Man City midfielder Michael Brown said on Soccer Special. "Pep will be asked questions as to why he went so adventurous. "With Real Madrid missing so many players, did he just think he would go for it because it was their best opportunity? But to come away with a defeat like that, it was a disappointing night for City, and they now have a massive task to turn the tie around." Just four teams from 51 have qualified for the next round of a Champions League knockout game when losing the first leg by three or more goals. It's not just a massive task, it's a monumental task for City to turn the tie around, especially against the 15-time Champions League winners.Oli Yew Rosenior goalkeeper tinkering costs Chelsea Gambling with your goalkeeper has enough proof of concept now across the last few seasons to conclude it may be worth more risk than it's worth. As it happened | Teams | StatsChelsea news & transfers🔵 | Chelsea fixtures & scores A goalkeeping stable competing, unsure who is No 1, has proved to have implications on confidence. Rosenior is the latest to test the limits of the theory and at Paris Saint-Germain, the Champions of Europe, his decision backfired, resulting in a 5-2 drubbing. In a midweek where goalkeeper changes were already under scrutiny, Filip Jorgensen came in for Robert Sanchez in what was one of Chelsea's more important games of the season. After impressing against Aston Villa last week, however, the decision raised fewer eyebrows, especially given Sanchez's form. However, holding your nerve on the big stage is a real talent that takes time to cultivate. Jorgensen's howler cost Chelsea. His lax pass out of the back resulted in PSG taking a 3-2 lead. All last season's treble winners needed was an inch and they took a mile, creating a mountain for Rosenior's side to climb in the second leg.Will Bitibiri

Amanda Wixon, 56, forced the woman - now in her 40s - to shave her hair, regularly beat her if she didn't complete jobs around the home, and made her live off "scraps" of food. It's also understood that while being held, Wixon, a mother of 10, stole more than £100,000 in benefits from the victim. Wixon will serve two-thirds of her sentence. Police officers who arrived at the house in Tewskesbury, Gloucestershire, following a tip-off from one of Wixon's sons in March 2021, described the victim's bedroom as looking like a "prison cell". They found a basic bed with filthy sheets, bare plaster walls with mould growing on them and no light bulb. The woman, who we can only identify as "K", has learning difficulties and knew Wixon when she was a child, through family connections. In 1996, she was taken into Wixon's home at the age of 16. Police say that Wixon kept her in squalid conditions for more than two decades, forced her to look after her children, locking her in the house and depriving her of food, health and dental care. The jury heard she was beaten with a broom handle, knocking out her teeth, had washing-up liquid squirted down her throat and bleach splashed on her face. Wixon did not allow "K" to wash herself, something she did in secret at night. The court heard how Wixon had strangled the victim and pushed her head down the toilet. Wixon had benefits for the victim paid into her bank account from the late 1990s, receiving more than £100,000 over the years. After being removed from the address, doctors described "K" as "malnourished" - noting scarring around her mouth, thought to be due to contact with cleaning fluids. Calluses were found on her ankles, consistent with the victim's account of spending hours on her knees sweeping the floor. During sentencing, Judge Ian Lawrie KC said Wixon was in "permanent denial" about her offending. "The gravity of your offending is so serious that I am imposing a significant period of custody," he said. He added: "This offending was not isolated and was persistent over many years." 'Nothing can give back the years lost' The victim now lives with a foster family, attends college and has been on holidays abroad. In a statement read to the court, the victim said: "For 25 years, I lived in fear, control and abuse. I was treated as though my life, my freedom and my voice did not matter. "Although my abuser has now been found guilty, the trauma and the nightmares are something I still carry with me every day." She added: "Nothing can give me back the 25 years I lost." K's new foster mother described how she "had to take her to the doctors and get lots of appointments and try and feed her and show her love... She wasn't used to things like that". She described how when K first arrived to live with her, "she didn't want me to hug her", but that after weeks of support and hard work, she "turned around and started being loving". Wixon was convicted in January at Gloucester Crown Court of modern-day slavery offences, including two counts of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, one count of false imprisonment and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. She was found not guilty of a further count of assault. Read more from Sky News:IEA announcement not enough to bring down oil priceJudges uphold Kneecap decision Outside court, Gloucestershire Police detective chief inspector Dave Shore-Nye said: "There is no prison sentence that could reflect the pain and suffering (Wixon) has inflicted on the victim, or bring back the decades she stole from her." Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher, from Gloucestershire Constabulary, said this was one of the "worst cases" he had ever seen. "The pure longevity of the harm that's been caused, nearly 25 years of suffering and pain. This is one of the most horrific crimes I've seen investigated by Gloucestershire."

The rapper, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May 2025 with the alleged display of a flag in support of the proscribed terrorist group Hezbollah at a gig in London on 21 November 2024. But the case against the Belfast-born Kneecap rapper was dismissed last September on technical grounds. At the time, chief magistrate Paul Goldspring told Woolwich Crown Court that the charge was "unlawful" and he had no jurisdiction to try the case - but prosecutors appealed against the decision. The High Court ruling was handed down remotely on Wednesday afternoon. Lord Justice Edis, sitting with Mr Justice Linden, said that "the judge was right to hold that he had no jurisdiction to try any summary-only offence alleged to have been committed on that date". In the 13-page decision, Lord Justice Edis said their decision "turned on a very narrow and technical legal issue and has nothing to do with whether the respondent committed the offence set out in the charge". In a statement released through his lawyers, O hAnnaidh said: "This entire process was never about me, never about any threat to the public and never about 'terrorism', a word used by the British government to discredit people you oppress both in Ireland and across the world. "It was always about Palestine and about what happens if you dare to speak up. About what happens if you can reach large groups of people and expose their hypocrisy." Speaking at a news conference in Belfast shortly after the ruling, O hAnnaidh added: "This is bigger than us - whatever kind of stress that we felt, it's minimal compared to the stress put on the families in Gaza." He said the band has "lost gigs" and been "restricted" as a result of the court proceedings, but will continue to use their platform to talk about Palestine as they no longer fear "repercussions". Following the decision, a CPS spokesperson said: "The High Court has clarified how the law applies to the issuing of written charges in summary offences where attorney general permission was required for the director of public prosecutions to consent to a prosecution. "We accept the judgment and will update our processes accordingly." Read more from Sky News:Weather warnings for strong winds issuedVan driven into barricade near White House, police say After O hAnnaidh was charged, he first appeared in court in June. At a second hearing in August, the rapper's lawyers argued prosecutors should have sought the permission of the attorney general, the chief legal adviser to the Crown, to charge him with a terror offence before informing him of the decision on 21 May last year. This permission was instead given the following day, which meant it fell outside the six-month timeframe in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought for this type of offence, the court was told.

The most newsworthy elements in this 147-page document detailing the vetting, appointment and severance of the ex-US ambassador were the eye-watering £75,000 payoff Peter Mandelson received for being sacked - he had asked for near £550,000 - and the revelation the prime minister's national security adviser Jonathan Powell thought the process was "unusual" and "weirdly rushed". We already knew, because the PM admitted it in the House of Commons, that Sir Keir Starmer was aware of an "ongoing relationship" between Lord Mandelson and the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Politics Hub: Follow latest reaction But to see in black and white the red flags being raised in a two-page due diligence report put together by the cabinet office was damning for the PM. Because it confirms that the PM was told the relationship between the pair was "particularly close" and continued well after Epstein was "first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008" for sex. It was flagged to Sir Keir that "Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein's house while he was in jail in June 2009" and noted there was "general reputational risk" over his relationship with Epstein. It warned the PM that a political appointment - Lord Mandelson - rather than a diplomatic one was more risky: "If anything goes wrong, you could be more exposed as the individual is more connected to you personally." Concerns raised The Mandelson files also revealed that Mr Powell, one of Sir Keir's most trusted advisers, found Lord Mandelson's appointment in December 2024 was "weirdly rushed" and that he had been "particularly cautious about the appointment". Minutes of a call in September 2025 show that Mr Powell had "raised concerns about the individual and reputation" to Morgan McSweeney, the PM's then chief of staff, and adds: "MM responded that the issues had been addressed." Sir Philip Barton, the Foreign Office's top civil servant at the time of Lord Mandelson's appointment, "also had reservations", according to Mr Powell. That the report was only two pages long and didn't investigate more robustly Lord Mandelson's relationship with Epstein, raises obvious questions. 👉 Listen to This Is Why on your podcast app 👈 It was only after the drop of the Epstein files by the US Department of Justice that we learned of the full depth and intimacy of the friendship. These documents also led to the arrest of Lord Mandelson on suspicion of misconduct in public office after it emerged that he had allegedly shared confidential information with Epstein when serving in Gordon Brown's cabinet. Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing. 'An inveterate liar' For his part, the prime minister says he was repeatedly lied to by Lord Mandelson, with No 10 stressing that follow-up questions were asked of the former Labour peer in light of the due diligence, which will back up Sir Keir's account. Frustratingly for No 10, those documents have been withheld by the Metropolitan Police as part of their investigation into Lord Mandelson to avoid prejudicing the investigation. But it goes back to the central point that, given the red flags, and Mr Powell's misgivings, why Sir Keir chose to press on with the appointment. Alex Burghart, shadow chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster, was excoriating as he called this out in the House of Commons on Wednesday. "Now the prime minister claims that he was lied to. He wasn't lied to by this due diligence document. And it may be that Mandelson denied these claims. "And if so, maybe the prime minister was lied to, but he was lied to by an inveterate liar who had been fired twice before," said Mr Burghart across the despatch box. "And we're supposed to believe, that the prime minister, who was once the chief prosecutor in this country, couldn't see through this nonsense. It beggars belief." A potential powder keg We will have to wait for further releases to get a better understanding of what the PM was told and why he took the decisions he did. Only a small proportion of the documents - expected to run into the tens of thousands - was published on Wednesday, but Darren Jones said the government hope to publish the remainder "soon". It will give more momentum to a scandal that is hurting Sir Keir with ministers and MPs braced for the dropping of thousands more documents that - if they pass national security clearance - will detail messages between Lord Mandelson and senior government figures for six months before his appointment, and during his time as ambassador. It could prove a powder keg for already inflamed tensions between Washington and London over the war in Iran should delicate diplomatic communications be put into the public domain - only messages posing significant security concerns will be exempt. And it will be parliament's intelligence and security committee, not the government, that will adjudicate on that. PM battling to survive It could also raise conflicts of interest if it emerges that government correspondence was shared with Lord Mandelson before his appointment given his commercial interests in the time at Global Counsel, a lobbying firm he co-founded. Two key figures who supported the appointment of Lord Mandelson - Mr McSweeney and the PM's former director of communications, Matthew Doyle - have left government. But their former boss, who has been battling to survive, is now having to deal with the ongoing consequences of an appointment he clearly deeply regrets. All of it, as one senior MP told me on Wednesday night, adds to the "general despondency" around this administration. Sir Keir promised to clean up politics, and yet he finds himself in the centre of one of the biggest political scandals this century. He must rue the day he ever let Lord Mandelson back into government. But it's very difficult to see how he can make it right.

For an hour at the BayArena, Saka was unable to find a way through on Arsenal's right-hand side, sometimes confronted by as many as three Bayer Leverkusen defenders. He only completed one of his four attempted dribbles. He only won two of his eight duels. "I thought we needed something else," said Mikel Arteta afterwards. Saka was not alone among Arsenal's attacking players in finding it difficult, but his replacement, Noni Madueke, made an immediate impact, his directness ultimately winning the penalty. "No surprise at all because that's his biggest quality," added Arteta in his press conference. "He's very brave at doing that and is a real threat. To have a player with that ability when you need him, and to step in in the manner that he did, big credit to him." Mikel Arteta fumes at set-piece defending after Arsenal drawBayer Leverkusen 1-1 Arsenal - Match report and analysisGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱No Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 The competition for places is of course exactly what Arsenal wanted when they brought in Madueke. But Saka's subdued showing on Wednesday night comes as he struggles to meet the extremely high standards he has set in previous campaigns for Arsenal. Saka's deflected strike against Brighton last week proved invaluable but it was only his second goal in 19 games. With nine goals and five assists across 39 appearances in all competitions, he is producing goal involvements at his lowest rate as an Arsenal starter. His rate of productivity has in fact nearly halved from last season, when his campaign was interrupted by the hamstring tear he suffered in December. The injury required surgery and put Saka on unfamiliar ground, facing the first major setback of his career. Arteta may reflect that Saka played too much in the years leading up to that. He was rarely rotated let alone substituted, his importance to the side too great. But it was obvious from his performances that he benefited from the rhythm and regularity. Saka has of course recovered from the injury. Arsenal's conviction that he will get back to his best is clear in their decision to hand him a new contract making him their highest-paid player only last month. But finding the same rhythm has so far proved difficult. Saka suffered another hamstring injury in only the second week of the season, forced to come off after scoring in a 5-0 win over Leeds. He had another spell out with a hip injury picked up during the warm-up against the same opponent in January. In between the two, he was rotated in and out of the side, his workload carefully managed. A sensible approach, no doubt, but one which left Saka in the novel situation of not starting consistently. Tracking data from GeniusIQ shows no clear evidence of a physical drop-off. Saka's top speed this season is roughly consistent with previous campaigns. He is actually making more sprints than last term, averaging 13.7 per 90 minutes up from 12.8. But the dip in his output goes beyond goals and assists. Saka is having fewer shots and creating fewer chances than last season in the Premier League. He is getting roughly as many touches of the ball but far fewer in the opposition box. His dribbles are slightly up but he is carrying the ball forward less. It is of course important to note the context of this being an especially challenging season for the Premier League's attacking players. Open-play goals are down across the board. Deep blocks are prevalent. Space in the final third has been squeezed. Perhaps most significantly, Saka is getting fewer opportunities to isolate his full-back. His one-on-ones in the Premier League have dropped by over 10 per cent, from 18.9 per 90 minutes last season to just 16.8 this term. Wednesday's game at the BayArena showed a European opponent adopting similar tactics. It took Madueke, a winger who differs in style to Saka, unpredictable bordering on erratic, his patchy decision-making a stark contrast to Saka's clear thinking, to break the game open. Having won the penalty for Kai Havertz's equaliser, Madueke has now made a direct contribution to a goal in six of his last nine appearances in all competitions as he shows signs of settling into his new surroundings. But Saka has had to adapt too. His chemistry with Martin Odegaard has been hugely important to Arsenal's attack in recent seasons but the club captain was absent against Bayer Leverkusen. Injuries mean Saka and Odegaard have only started 16 out of 47 games together this season. Saka is yet to develop a similar understanding with Eberechi Eze, or with Viktor Gyokeres compared to Havertz up front, and the same can be said of his relationship with right-back Jurrien Timber compared to Ben White, who is now out of favour but was arguably even more important in platforming the 24-year-old. White's telepathy with Saka extended to how he passed to him, almost always putting Saka in a position to run onto it, rather than receive with his back to goal. "We just kind of know," White said when this was put to him by Sky Sports in 2023. "I don't really understand why, but, when I look up, I know what he's going to be doing or where he's going to be." While Timber, a natural centre-back, has improved offensively, in addition to adding greater defensive solidity, he does not seem as attuned as White to the needs of the player in front of him. "I'm there to help him get into positions where he can do what he is so good at," added White, who has had injury problems of his own and only started six games with Saka this term. The good news for Arsenal is that, as Saka tries to recapture his rhythm and build new connections, they do at least have a credible alternative in Madueke. He was their difference-maker at the BayArena. He is pushing for more involvement. But helping their talisman, their most valued player and someone who has probably contributed more under Arteta than anyone else, get back towards his best should be a priority for the manager.