Paul Merson has warned Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal that they won’t win the Premier League title with Eddie Nketiah leading the line.
Over the weekend, Arsenal began their Premier League title charge by beating Nottingham Forest 2-1 at the Emirates, with Eddie Nketiah opening the scoring.
With Gabriel Jesus out injured, the 24-year-old is tasked with being the main man up top, but Merson warned ‘I don’t see him firing Arsenal to the title’.
The former Highbury hero even warned that, if Mikel Arteta’s side slip up in the Premier League this term, then ‘they won’t even be in the top four’, as he told Sky Sports.
Now, that would be a pure disaster for the London club because many are looking towards them being the nearest challengers to Manchester City this season.
There is a lot of pressure on the team this campaign, with Merson sharing his thoughts on Nketiah after he opened his account against Forest.
“Eddie Nketiah never lets Arsenal down which is a big thing,” said Merson.
“The manager trusts him. I don’t see him firing Arsenal to the title though. He’s one you bring in for three or four games and then take him out again.
“I expect Arsenal to challenge Man City for the league but if they don’t perform they won’t even be in the top four. That’s how hard this league is. There are no gimmies.”
Nketiah needs more trust
It seems as though Nketiah can’t do anything right. If he’s scoring, on the bench, in a bad run of form or talk of him being replaced – that’s why Darren Bent asked for ‘respect to be put on his name’.
There has always been this cloud of doubt over his head and this is now the perfect chance for him to prove those people wrong.
Jesus won’t be back yet, so Nketiah knows that he will be leading the line for a while and this is his chance to ensure that, when the Brazil international returns, he is sitting on the bench rather than taking his place in the starting XI.
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