Arsenal secured a crucial 2-0 victory against a struggling Leicester City side at the King Power Stadium, thanks to an unexpected hero: midfielder Mikel Merino.
The Spaniard, deployed as a makeshift striker due to a crippling injury list, scored twice in a performance that left manager Mikel Arteta praising his team’s resilience and adaptability.
The Gunners arrived at Leicester reeling from a host of injuries, including top scorer Kai Havertz, who was recently sidelined for the rest of the season. Joining him on the injury list were key players Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli.
Arteta’s makeshift front three struggled to find cohesion in the first half, despite an impressive showing from 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri on the right wing.
The turning point came when Arteta made a tactical masterstroke, replacing the ineffective Raheem Sterling with Merino.
The Spanish midfielder, who admitted after the game he’d never played up front before, proved to be an inspired substitution. He headed home the opening goal and then sealed the victory with a second strike, leaving the Arsenal fans in raptures.
“Very tough match,” Arteta commented after the game. He acknowledged the team’s struggles in the first half but praised their improved urgency and execution in the second.
He also highlighted a crucial goal-line clearance from Myles Lewis-Skelly, which prevented Leicester from taking the lead.
“Mikel obviously made a huge impact to score the two goals,” Arteta added.
When asked if Merino was the solution to Arsenal’s goal-scoring woes, Arteta emphasized the need for shared responsibility.
“We’re going to have to share that,” he said, acknowledging the various scenarios that will require tactical adjustments and personnel changes.
He expressed confidence in the team’s preparations for these challenges and hoped they would continue to be as effective as Merino’s performance against Leicester.
Merino revealed after the match that his new role as a striker was a complete surprise.
“This morning we were talking about it a little bit 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,” he said.
He dedicated his goals to his wife as a Valentine’s Day gift, joking that she would appreciate them more than flowers or chocolates.
The win narrows the gap between Arsenal and league leaders Liverpool to four points.
Liverpool, who drew 2-2 with Everton mid-week, can extend their lead to seven points with a win against Wolves on Sunday.
However, Arteta insisted that Arsenal will fight until the very end. “With everything that happened in the last few days, it was a lot of noise as well, (we needed) to show how much we wanted,” he explained.
He reiterated his belief in the team’s resources, quality, and adaptability.
While Merino grabbed the headlines, young talent Ethan Nwaneri also impressed, drawing comparisons to Lionel Messi from former England international Joe Cole.
Arteta acknowledged the need to manage Nwaneri’s development carefully due to his young age but praised his confidence and creativity.
“When a player is giving you all those signs, you should not stop it,” Arteta said. “He’s a massive threat, massive talent and he deserves to play.”
For Leicester, the loss was their ninth in ten Premier League games and came amidst fan protests against the club’s ownership.
