Arsenal’s unlikely hero admits never playing striker before scoring 2 v Leicester | OneFootball

Arsenal found an unexpected match-winner as they secured a vital victory at Leicester City, closing the gap on Liverpool.

With key attackers sidelined, Mikel Arteta turned to an unconventional solution that delivered.

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Arsenal’s injury-ravaged attack needed a saviour at the King Power Stadium, but few would have predicted it would be Mikel Merino, a midfielder who had never played as a striker before.

With his team desperate for goals, Mikel Arteta turned to an unconventional solution, and the Spaniard delivered, scoring twice to seal a 2-0 victory over Leicester City and close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.

The absences of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus left Arsenal without a recognised centre-forward, forcing reliance on Raheem Sterling, with everyone hoping he could revive the role he once thrived in at Manchester City. Yet the player who was once among the league’s most devastating attackers looks like a shadow of his former self.

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Ethan Nwaneri, the 17-year-old making just his fourth league start, was the only player offering genuine inspiration. Fearless on the ball, he twice went close to scoring, first rattling the crossbar in the 61st minute, then striking the post after a dazzling solo run. But for all Nwaneri’s brilliance, Arsenal needed someone to finish their chances.

That responsibility fell, unexpectedly, to Merino. Introduced in the 69th minute to replace Sterling, the Spaniard was thrust into an unfamiliar centre-forward role. “I’ve never played as a striker before,” he admitted post-match, but he adapted instantly, offering presence and movement that Arsenal had lacked all afternoon.

The breakthrough came 10 minutes later, with Nwaneri once again at the heart of the action. The teenager curled a superb inswinging cross into the box, where Merino timed his run perfectly, peeling away from Wout Faes before directing a clinical header past Mads Hermansen. I couldn’t help but wonder where the ball would have went had it been Kai Havertz‘s head.

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

With Leicester pressing for an equaliser, Arsenal struck again in the 87th minute. Martin Ødegaard and Ricardo Calafiori combined to send Leandro Trossard down the left, and the Belgian’s pinpoint cross found Merino once more, this time at the back post. A cushioned half-volley later, and the game was over.

After the match, Merino revealed that the brace had come with a personal touch. “I forgot to get my wife something for Valentine’s Day,” he told TNT Sports. “So this goes to her. I think she will appreciate this more than a rose or some chocolates!”

He also said that Arteta had told him before the game he would be going on as a striker. “Well, he told me I was going to come in as a striker. This morning, we were talking about it a little bit with one of the assistants. Honestly, it was a surprise because it’s the first time in my career that I played in that position.

“But yeah, he told me to go as a striker, to make sure I go with my strengths. I think I saw it and luckily I could help the team to today.”

The win keeps Arsenal four points behind Liverpool, and though the absence of key forwards remains a concern, Arteta has found an unlikely solution in Merino. After the match, Merino admitted he didn’t think it was likely to be an ongoing thing.

Arteta may now have other ideas.

Meanwhile, Nwaneri continues to prove he is not just a future star, but a player who can impact Arsenal’s title challenge now. He was named Player of the Match.

“Yes, he’s an amazing player,” Merino said. “Every time I do an interview, you guys ask me about him. But I mean, it’s natural because he’s such a talent. Luckily for me, today he crossed the ball. I’ve been talking to him the whole season. I needed those kind of balls when I’m arriving in the box.

“And he has such a wonderful left foot that he put it right on my head, so I could only score.”