Merino told TNT Sports: “This morning we were talking about it a little bit (playing as a striker) with one of the assistants and, honestly, it is a surprise because it is the first time in my career that I play that position, but yeah he told me to go striker, to make sure I go with my strengths, I think I solved it and luckily I could help the team with two goals today.”.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says other players will have to step up like super sub Mikel Merino after the makeshift striker secured the Premier League title hopefuls a vital victory at lacklustre Leicester.
Asked if it was too simple to say that Merino is Arsenal’s goalscoring solution, he said: “Yeah, we’re going to have to share that, and we know that we’re going have a various contexts.
Arsenal’s makeshift front three failed to click at Leicester despite 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri impressing on the right, but Arteta’s decision to replace ineffective Raheem Sterling with Merino proved inspired.
“That regardless of what happens, we’re going to really go for it, that we believe in the resources that we have, in the quality of our players, and we can still adapt and be very competitive and still win a lot of football matches.”.
