“I’ve always said it from day one" - Paul Merson insists Arsenal must replace 2 players if they want to win Premier League
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has urged Arsenal to replace the attacking duo of Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus if they want to be in title-winning contention.
Both Nketiah and Jesus were included in Arsenal's starting XI to face Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby on Sunday, September 24. They were given a chance to impress following injuries to both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
The game ended 2-2 with Arsenal's goals coming through a Cristian Romero own goal and Bukayo Saka's penalty. Nketiah failed to have much of an impact, while Jesus had a golden opportunity to double the Gunners' advantage in the 32nd minute after dispossessing James Maddison. Unfortunately, he blazed his shot well over the bar.
Jesus' miss left Merson extremely frustrated. He told Sky Sports (via HITC):
“I’ve always said it from day one – Eddie Nketiah is not going to win you the Premier League. You need a proper centre forward. I’m not blaming Nketiah because they drew 2-2 with Tottenham but with 32 games to go and all the Champions League games they have to play, I don’t think he takes them to the next level. I don’t even think Gabriel Jesus takes them to the next level."
He added:
“I was so confident that Arsenal would win on Sunday but when I saw the teams, I was majorly worried. Jesus on the wing, Nketiah up front, Fabio Vieira – I don’t think he’s good enough. Only Ivan Toney is available for them in January – there aren’t many centre forwards around in the world. They’re a dying breed.”
Ivan Toney could prove to be a useful addition to Mikel Arteta's squad. However, the Brentford forward is suspended from football until January 17, 2024, due to breaching FA betting rules. He scored 20 goals in 33 Premier League appearances last season for the Bees.
How did Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus perform for Arsenal against Tottenham?
Paul Merson was far from impressed with Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus after they failed to make an impact against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Let's take a look at the stats to see how they performed.
Jesus recently returned from injury and had already scored two goals in four appearances as Arsenal's No. 1 choice forward. He had a poor game by his standards, playing on the left wing. He had a pass accuracy of 71 percent and missed one big chance. He was also dispossessed five times before being subbed in the 77th minute.
On the other hand, Nketiah made no successful dribbles from two attempts, registered zero accurate long balls from his sole attempt, and had a pass accuracy of 75 percent. Despite his struggles, the 24-year-old remains a solid bench option for Mikel Arteta.