Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta gives his take on Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah.
Arteta made the comments following Arsenal’s 1-0 win against West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium in North London on Saturday afternoon.
Nketiah, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Leeds United in the Championship, started the London derby, but it was his replacement in the 59th minute, Lacazette, who scored the only goal of the Premier League match in the 78th minute.
Arteta believes that both the 28-year-old and the 20-year-old are in good form at the moment, and it is giving him a problem regarding whom to start.
Arteta told Football.London when asked why Lacazette did not start: “I have two strikers at the moment that are making life difficult for me but at the same time it’s very good. They are both scoring, they are both in a good moment.
“I decided to play Eddie today for the type of defenders they had and the game plan we had but knowing that we needed Laca in the final moments (and) he was ready to do that.
“I saw it straight away the moment I was talking with him, giving him instructions on the touchline, he was alert, focused and I could see in his face he was really determined to come out there and score the goal like he did.”
Stats
According to WhoScored, Lacazette has made 15 starts and five substitute appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal so far this season, scoring seven goals and providing three assists in the process.
Nketiah has scored one goal in 251 minutes in the Premier League for the Gunners this campaign, according to WhoScored.
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