Eberechi Eze made an impressive start to his Arsenal career with a strong performance on his full debut.
The £68m signing from Crystal Palace made his first start for the Gunners under Mikel Arteta earlier on Saturday.
He was quiet during the first 45 minutes but came alive in the second half, contributing to a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Eze assisted Viktor Gyokeres for Arsenal’s second goal and pulled off a feat not seen in over 13 years.
Eberechi Eze becomes the first English player to assist with his first chance created for Arsenal since 2012
Less than a minute after the break, Arsenal’s new No.10 picked out Viktor Gyokeres with a sharp, low cross using his left foot, setting up a simple finish.
That made him the first English player to assist with his very first chance created for the Gunners since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain did it back in 2012.
At just 18 years old, Oxlade-Chamberlain, given a starting position by Arsene Wenger against Manchester United, immediately influenced the game by assisting Robin van Persie. The match ultimately concluded with a 2-1 victory for the Red Devils.
Arteta has shown faith in youth this season, as did Wenger in the past. Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both got minutes against Forest, while Max Dowman was named on the bench.
How Eberechi Eze performed statistically in Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
While Eze may be more at ease in a central position, he nonetheless impressed on the left flank during his first full appearance for Arsenal.
The Greenwich native successfully completed 20 of 24 passes, achieving an accuracy rate of 83%, and also had three successful dribbles.
| Category | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Top stats | |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Total shots | 2 |
| Accurate passes | 20/24 (83%) |
| Chances created | 1 |
| Dribbles | 3/6 |
| Attack | |
| Touches | 41 |
| Accurate crosses | 0/2 |
| Dispossessed | 11 |
| Defence | |
| Tackles won | 0 |
| Clearances | 0 |
| Interceptions | 0 |
| Dribbled past | 0 |
| Duels | |
| Ground duels won | 4/7 |
| Aerial duels won | 1/1 |
| Was fouled | 1 |
| Fouls committed | 0 |
Beyond that, Eze showcased a strong defensive work rate. He won four out of seven ground duels and was successful in his only aerial duel.
Given what the Londoner has already achieved so early in his Arsenal career, the future looks very bright.
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