The versatile 17-year-old is enjoying a tremendous breakthrough campaign in north London with seven goals to his name, though is being asked to play a lot amid Arsenal’s ongoing injury issues that sees them remain without Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli for now and also missing the likes of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus for the rest of the season.
Mikel Arteta has allayed injury fears over Ethan Nwaneri following Arsenal’s damaging Premier League defeat by West Ham.
Arteta was furious after Arsenal’s first home league defeat of the season that saw them miss the chance to cut down Liverpool’s title advantage to five points after the leaders drew at Aston Villa in midweek.
There was some concern and confusion among fans after Nwaneri was brought off with just under 10 minutes to play against West Ham despite Arsenal chasing an elusive late equaliser, with out-of-form Chelsea loanee Raheem Sterling sent on in his place.
The highly-rated teenager started on the right of an attack led by Mikel Merino for the injury-hit Gunners in Saturday’s London derby at the Emirates Stadium, but was part of a blunt display as Jarrod Bowen’s close-range header before half-time condemned the hosts to a costly 1-0 loss that is likely to have dealt a major blow to their title hopes.
