“Unfortunately it’s time to go”, “Gonna be painful when he leaves” - Arsenal fans furious with attacker not being part of line-up to face Bournemouth
Arsenal fans on X are fearing the worst after Mikel Arteta excluded Ethan Nwaneri from the starting XI to face Bournemouth. The two sides are set to lock horns in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium later today (Saturday, May 3).
Arteta has made two changes to his starting lineup, with Thomas Partey and Ben White replacing Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber, respectively. David Raya starts in goal for Arsenal. White, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, and Myles Lewis-Skelly make up the defense.
The midfield comprises of Declan Rice, Partey, and Martin Odegaard. Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Leandro Trossard start up front to complete the starting XI.
After Bukayo Saka suffered a long-term hamstring injury in December, Ethan Nwaneri stepped up and has performed well, garnering nine goals and two assists in 35 appearances across competitions. The 17-year-old has been one of the most exciting young talents in the Premier League this season, but hasn't made the starting XI in his last three games in all competitions, playing just 38 minutes.
One Arsenal fan posted:
"Unfortunately it's time to go Ethan"
Another fan reckons Nwaneri may join Manchester City or Liverpool:
"Once again No Nwaneri in the line up. Gonna be painful when he leaves and go to Man City or Liverpool sighh"
Other fans reacted below:
"Nwaneri Championship loan next season?" one fan asked
"Why ain’t Nwaneri getting no minutes kmt," one fan commented
"Nwaneri actually never gonna start again," another added
"Ødegaard starting is crazy, play Nwaneri," one fan demanded
"Not playing Nwaneri in this is absolutely despicable. I don’t even know why I’m surprised anymore," another chimed in
"It is a tricky situation for Arteta" - Chris Sutton makes scoreline prediction for Arsenal vs Bournemouth PL clash
BBC Sport columnist Chris Sutton has backed Bournemouth to hold Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in their upcoming Premier League clash. He reckons Mikel Arteta faces a big challenge in managing his key players' minutes, given their upcoming second-leg fixture against PSG in the UEFA Champions League semi-final (May 7).
Days after losing the Premier League title to Liverpool, the Gunners will be seeking to keep the momentum going as they look to end the season on a high note. They are currently second with 67 points from 34 games, 17 points ahead of 10th-placed Bournemouth.
Sutton wrote (via BBC Sport):
"We know how dangerous Bournemouth are because they beat Arsenal in October, and if Mikel Arteta rests players then this game becomes even harder for the Gunners."
"It is a tricky situation for Arteta, because he will want to head to Paris St-Germain for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with a bit of momentum, but he has got to balance that with the risk of injury to his key players."
He added:
"Bournemouth's form has improved of late, and the circumstances mean they definitely have a decent chance of doing the double over Arsenal this season. This all boils down to what the Arsenal team is, so it is difficult to make a call without knowing that, but they are at home and even if they are not at full strength then I can still see them getting a draw."
Bournemouth defeated the Gunners in the reverse fixture earlier this season, securing an impressive 2-0 win (October 19, 2024).