“I’m not picking on him” – Pundit highlights key difference between Eddie Nketiah at Arsenal and Manchester United forward
BBC pundit Izzy Christiansen has opened up about the difference in mindset at Arsenal and Manchester United. Comparing Eddie Nketiah and Anthony Martial, she claimed that the character of a club can be identified by the mentality of its substitute players.
Speaking on the BBC's Monday Night Club show, she said:
“Quite often you can define the culture of a football club by the attitude and application of the substitutes.
“I have seen, and I’m not picking on him, but Anthony Martial has been at Manchester United for nine years and I’ve been at Old Trafford a few times in the last few weeks and I have watched him warm up.
“I have watched him when he has been called by his manager to play, to go on, as a substitute for an injury at one point, and the second time was that he needed to change to give Hojlund a rest.
“I have looked at how slowly he has got himself ready – he has taken his tracksuit bottoms off, taken his bib off, put his match shirt on.”
Comparing that to the situation under Mikel Arteta at the Emirates, she added:
“Then you compare it to Arsenal.
“Eddie Nketiah gets his chance, starts a game, scores a hat-trick, wears the armband and you’re like hang on a minute this is a squad player at Arsenal who is coming on at doing that.”
An injury to Gabriel Jesus meant Nketiah got the opportunity to start against Sheffield United. The 24-year-old dazzled, scoring three goals in the Gunners' 5-0 victory.
Martial, meanwhile, has been limited to appearances off the bench for the Red Devils this season and is yet to open his tally in the Premier League.
Arsenal and Manchester United among clubs in line for shock move for Real Madrid star
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos is eyeing a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal and Manchester United on his list of possible clubs. According to the Sun, the German could look to leave Los Blancos if he is not offered an extension.
He is currently on a one-year deal he signed last year, which is set to expire in the upcoming summer. The report claims that Tottenham Hotspur are the leading candidates, while the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City are also in the running.
Real Madrid have good depth in their midfield and thus would expect only a nominal fee for Kroos. The 33-year-old joined the side in 2014 and has been a valuable contributor across the side's immensely successful decade.