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Mikel Merino delivers Ethan Nwaneri verdict after Arsenal vs Leicester City, 17-year-old compared to Leo Messi

Srinivas Sadhanand

Sun 16 February 2025 6:15, UK

As Arsenal were in desperate need of a saviour in their eventual 2-0 victory against Leicester City, Ethan Nwaneri and Mikel Merino combined to save the day for the Gunners’ winning goal.

Nwaneri whipped in an inch-perfect cross for Merino to head into the back of the net as a makeshift striker, with the Spaniard scoring a brace and proving Mikel Arteta’s bold decision to play up top a masterstroke.

While the Spanish international will grab the headlines, Ethan Nwaneri was the bes🎐🅘t player on the pitch from start to finish.

The 17-year-old was a nightmare for Victor Kristiansen to come up against as he bypassed the Leicester City left-back time and time again.

Nwaneri came close to scoring twic✤e before Merino’s first goal as well, striking the crossb꧑ar twice.

Jo♈e Cole hailed Nwaneri’s display against𓆏 Leicester as the youngste🎐r perhaps put in his most accomplished performance in an Arsenal shirt.

• READ MORE: Ethan Nwaneri says he꧑ genuinely studies one ‘unbelievable’ Arsenal player 🦋all the time

Mikel Merino hails “amazing” Ethan Nwaneri after Leicester City vs Arsenal

Mikel Arteta promised Nwaneri game time regardless of whether Arsenal had signe𒈔d another attacker and it see🔯ms like the Englishman is giving his manager every reason to back him.

While the injuries to crucial attacking players such as Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are devastating for the Gunners, the youngster is showing th🍌at he is ready to step in the wake of their absences.

As Mikel Merino was quizzed about his thoughts on Nwaneri after his match-winning cameo against Leicester, the Arsenal midfielder heap🐟ed praise on his teammate and revealed that he has always advised the young technician to cross the ball into him.

Merino told TNT Sports: “Yes, he’s an amazing player, every time I do an interview, you guys ask me for him but🤪 it’s natural because he’s such a talent. Luckily for him, today he crossed the ball, I’ve been talking to him the whole season that I needed those kinds of balls when I’m arriving inside the box. And he has such a wonderful left foot that he put it right on my head and I could only score.”

Nwaneri will appreciate Merino’s praise and it is telling that he is an avid listener by how he took the fo😼rmer Real Sociedad d♏ynamo’s advice and found him in space with a brilliant cross for the first goal.

Mikel Arteta has highlighted Nwaneri’s veꦡrsatility and that was on display against Leicester as he impressed as a right-winger despite being💜 a natural number 10; all signs that emphasise how mature he is.

Joe Cole also said via that Nwaneri’s touches inside the box were reminiscent of a certain Lionel Messi, saying: “He’s a strong little thing📖. You can’t mark him because he can go both ways. These touches he produces in and around the box, I don’t want to say it, but it’s like [Lionel] Messi.”

Arsenal’s number 53 has plenty of admirer𒊎s within the first-team and it is wonderful to🐓 see him live up to the lofty expectations.

Martin Odegaard revealed what Arsenal players say about Nwaneri even before Leicester clash

Martin Odegaard revealed Nwaneri i💧s considered a “grea🦩t player” by the Arsenal stars rather than just an emerging talent a ﷽few weeks ago.

“I’ve said before that we don’t look at him as an emerging talent, we just see him as a great player. That says it all really for🌼 someone wh꧅o’s 17.”

“He’s just a natural part of our squad and the team, and you can ♎see the talent he brings. It was another great goal from him, we’re♛ all really pleased for him.”

Nwaneri’s statistics against Leicester in🌌dicate that Odegaard and his teammates might have a ♊point.