Last summer, the Arsenal first-team squad were asked which young player they thought will have a breakthrough season. Myles Lewis-Skelly’s name arose in the mix, but Ethan Nwaneri was their unanimous answer. The recent weeks have showcased why those around the camp have anticipated the rise of a 17-year-old wonderkid who has slotted into the starting XI with ease — and, potentially, solved Mikel Arteta’s right wing puzzle.

Thus far this season, Nwaneri has made his first Premier League and Champions League starts, shone in the Carabao Cup, while scoring across all three competitions. He won man of the match on Wednesday against Girona for good measure, capping his first European start with an impressive finish from outside the area. The way he shimmied past a couple of the opposition defenders having cut in from the right-hand side, before fizzing the ball, with much curl, into the bottom-left corner, was Bukayo Saka-esque in execution.

Team-mate Mikel Merino said afterwards: ‘This kind of goal does not happen by chance. This kind of action is something you train. He is always trying to make this shot, trying to cross to the second post from the right side. It is something he trains every day. 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri is living up to the hype in his breakthrough season for Arsenal. The youngster scored a stunning goal during a man of the match display on Wednesday.

‘Obviously he has an amazing talent, but there is nothing that comes without hard work.’. It’s a technique Nwaneri has already shown before, as seen with his strike against Preston in the Carabao Cup. That one landed in the top-left corner to steal the show. The records he has already surpassed in this campaign has put him on a serious trajectory going forward — and his step up has come at the perfect time for Arteta.

If he is to feature against Manchester City on Sunday, the youngster will pose a different kind of threat, borne from fearlessness, which would give Pep Guardiola’s shaky backline something else to consider in such a high-pressured fixture. The fact he is even being considered at such a young age for a game of this magnitude shows how highly regarded he is by Arteta. Mail Sport understands Nwaneri will be offered a new long-term contract upon turning 18 — he does so on March 21.

It’s the impressive performances of Lewis-Skelly, who Arteta has started over £42million signing Riccardo Calafiori, which has given him the impetus to trust his youngsters. Trust is a big element. He has that in abundance with both players, who have been patient in waiting for their opportunities. Saka’s hamstring injury, sustained against Crystal Palace on December 21, left the Spaniard scratching his head as to how to fill such a gaping hole. He now has his answer.

Nwaneri will pose a different kind of threat if he is to feature against Manchester City. As seen on Wednesday, there is a willingness to drive at players. If he loses the ball or is tackled, Nwaneri will still go again. He is not afraid to shoot, unlike some of his team-mates who prefer the safer option of constant passing around the area. The naivety of youth helps. Since January 1, Nwaneri has averaged 2.2 shots per game. Against Girona he had three, which was the joint-most with Raheem Sterling.

He is also a natural at cutting in on his left and curling the ball at goal, which is a big element of Saka’s game. His confidence is clearly growing — from the Brentford match to facing Girona, there has been a progression in his confidence on the ball and passes forward. None of this is a surprise to his team-mates. Despite being somewhat shy, he has been fully embraced by the squad. They have been aware of his talents for some time, having been around first-team training since the age of 15. Martin Odegaard is a mentor of his and has been particularly supportive.

It all equates to Arsenal not needing a wide forward in this January transfer window. A striker should be the priority, not a stop-gap option for the right wing area whilst Saka is injured. It has taken some experimentation. Gabriel Martinelli was given a short run on the right, taking that spot in the remainder of the Palace game and then against Ipswich, before Arteta decided to throw Nwaneri in the deep end and start him against Brentford on New Year’s Day.

His manager referred to the nostalgia aspect of the selection, having made Nwaneri the youngest-ever league debutant back in September aged 15 years and 181 days against the Bees when he came off the bench in injury time. That was an influence, but fundamentally Arteta had given the youngster an audition for the main role, following the impact of 18-year-old Lewis-Skelly who started six of Arsenal’s last eight league matches.