Paul Merson doubts Mikel Arteta will deviate from his favoured front-three and start Eddie Nketiah when Arsenal travel to Norwich City on Boxing Day, via his Sportskeeda column.
Nketiah showed Arteta what he can offer in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night with a hat-trick to beat Sunderland. The striker showed his poacher’s instincts to snatch a first, before producing two fine finishes from in-and-around the six-yard box.
He has now scored five goals in six appearances so far this season in all competitions. Yet each of the 22-year-old’s strikes came over three EFL Cup ties to help reach the semi-finals.
Arteta has only fielded Nketiah for 38-minutes over three outings across Arsenal’s Premier League fixtures so far this term. He also left the striker out of his first 10 matchday squads.
Merson doubts Arteta starting Nketiah at Norwich
Yet despite Nketiah leading the line well in midweek, Merson doubts Arteta will start the Arsenal product at Norwich. Instead, the Gunners hero expects the Spaniard to stick with his recently-favoured trio of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka with Alexandre Lacazette.
“Arsenal have been playing very well this month – they’re bright all over the pitch,” Merson wrote. “They’re flat-track bullies at the moment, and I have no problem with that.
“Arsenal are better than a lot of the other teams in the Premier League, but they struggle against the big-three. They’re a bag of Revels – you don’t know what you’re going to get.
“Nketiah laid down a marker in the Carabao Cup, but I don’t think Arteta’s going to tamper with a winning formula this week. Lacazette, Martinelli and Saka have been impressive for Arsenal, and will lead the line against Norwich.”
Arsenal product Nketiah just a backup in the Premier League right now
Arteta has started Lacazette with Martinelli and Saka on either wing in Arsenal’s last four Premier League games. The trio have also been supported with Martin Odegaard centrally.
The quartet have combined to help Arsenal beat Southampton, West Ham and Leeds after losing at Everton. While Nketiah only played the final 19-minutes against the Toffees and eight against the Irons, with Arteta leaving him on the bench against the Saints and Whites.
Against Everton and West Ham, Arteta also introduced Nketiah in place of Martinelli on the left-wing. His only central top-flight minutes came at Manchester United for the final 11.
So, even after a Carabao Cup hat-trick, Arteta will likely live up to Merson’s expectations and elect against starting Nketiah when Arsenal visit Norwich on Boxing Day this Sunday.
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