While Merino proved to be the game changer on the night, Academy products Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly need to be given their flowers as well.
Mikel Arteta will certainly be a happy man as he found an answer to his striker problem as Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino came on as a late substitute and scored a brace in his first-ever attempt at playing up front.
With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out for the season, Arteta has been left with a huge problem as to who will play in the number nine position. The Arsenal boss played Belgian forward Trossard up front but the move did not work and was forced to make the substitution at the 70th-minute mark. “He [Mikel Arteta] told me to come in as a striker this morning. We were talking about it a little bit with one of the assistants. It is the first time in my career that I’ve played that position. He told me to go with my strengths and luckily I could help the team with two goals today,” Merino told BBC Sport.
The Spaniard also suggests he does not see himself occupying the spot for long. “I don’t think so, to be honest. (On him starting as a striker regularly) It is the first time I have scored a brace coming off the bench as a striker. I forgot to give my wife something for Valentine’s Day so this goes to her. I think she will appreciate this more than a rose and some chocolate. Today was a tough game. But I think these games are the ones you need the spirit. Games like today are really good for the squad.”
While Merino proved to be the game changer on the night, Academy products Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly need to be given their flowers as well. The former was the only Arsenal player to show any kind of tooth up front and rattled the woodwork twice before providing the assist to Merino’s first goal.
Lewis-Skelly on the other hand provided a strong defensive outgoing which also included saving his side from an awkward position when Ayew’s cross nearly made it to Bobby Decordova Reid lurking at the back post but the attempt was thwarted by Miles.
Full-back Jurrien Timber rained praises on the young duo and said that he believes ‘the sky is the limit for them.’ “You almost forget they are so young. They are amazing for that age. It’s from a different level and the sky is the limit for them,” said Timber to BBC Sport.
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