Whatever way you slice it, Eddie Nketiah’s Man of the Match performance in Arsenal’s 5-1 EFL Cup quarter-final thrashing of Sunderland could hardly have been better timed.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in Mikel Arteta’s bad books once again, a brilliant hat-trick – albeit against third-tier opposition – gives Nketiah’s chances of more regular Premier League action an almighty shot in the arm ahead of a hectic festive fixture schedule.
But even if the striker is destined to depart at some point in the New Year, (he has rejected a new contract with his current deal expiring in July) his ruthless dismantling of a brave, bold Sunderland side should put him front and centre in the shop window with January just a few days away.
As Mikel Arteta’s much-changed Arsenal side cruised into the EFL Cup semi-finals, Nketiah offered a timely reminder of his penalty-box potency.
Yes, he can go missing in games, yes his work outside of the box needs some work. But give him a chance and watch the net ripple.
Could Arsenal sell Eddie Nketiah to Crystal Palace?
Nketiah mustered four shots on target against Sunderland and scored with three of them.
He reacted brilliantly to bundle home an early opener, doubled the lead with a wonderful near-post flick and completed his treble in style, a perfectly executed back-heel a fitting finale to Nicolas Pepe’s wonderful assist.
Nketiah’s long-term future may lie away from North London but there remains a feeling that, if the England U21’s record goalscorer was to drop a few rungs down the Premier League ladder, performances like Tuesday’s would become a lot more frequent.
The £20 million-rated Nketiah came oh-so close to joining a Crystal Palace side coached by Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira during the summer transfer window (talkSPORT).
The XG table has Palace in eighth, three places better off than they actually are.
If wastefulness in front of goal is the biggest problem facing Vieira’s side, then a natural-born, penalty-area poacher feels like a potential silver-bullet solution.
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