Arsenal player ratings: Ethan Nwaneri, 17, excels amid injury crisis but Raheem Sterling a shadow of old self

3 weeks ago 28

MIKEL MERINO was Arsenal’s leader from the seat arsenic helium solved the striker situation with 2 goals astatine Leicester.

With Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz some acceptable to miss the remainder of the season, Mikel Arteta started Leandro Trossard up front.

Mikel Merino of Arsenal celebrating a goal.Reuters
Mikel Merino scored doubly arsenic Arsenal bushed Leicester 2-0 astatine the King Power[/caption]
Mikel Merino scoring a header during a shot    game.PA
Merino mislaid his marker to caput successful the opening extremity connected 81 minutes[/caption]

But the Gunners struggled to find the breakthrough against a resilient Foxes defence.

That was until Merino came connected and changed the game.

He headed successful the opener from Ethan Nwaneri’s delicate transverse connected 81 minutes past made it 2-0 with a tidy back-post decorativeness six minutes later.

Here’s however SunSport’s Charlie Wyett rated the Arsenal players…

DAVID RAYA: 6

Got his assemblage down an aboriginal Wilfred Ndidi effort but precise small other to bash until redeeming Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s rising changeable successful the 67th minute.

JURRIEN TIMBER: 6

Was caught retired connected a fewer occasions but helium did effort and get guardant to assistance Nwaneri.

WILLIAM SALIBA: 6

Had a conflict with Jamie Vardy and made definite that Leicester’s talisman was kept beauteous quiet.

GABRIEL: 6

Strong successful the aerial and mostly coped good though Leicester were mediocre successful presumption of prime erstwhile going forward.

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Jamie Vardy of Leicester City and William Saliba of Arsenal competing for the shot  during a Premier League match.Getty
William Saliba came retired connected apical successful his conflict with Jamie Vardy[/caption]

MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY: 7

Big involution to halt De Cordova-Reid with 17 minutes near to deflect Jordan Ayew’s transverse for a corner. That was prime defending erstwhile nether existent pressure.

THOMAS PARTEY:  6

Sat heavy and mopped up the uncommon moments of Leicester unit but did tyre which is wherefore helium was replaced.

MARTIN ODEGAARD: 7

Showed prime successful the last 3rd but helium is susceptible of overmuch more. Two terrific passes successful the archetypal fractional to Trossard but helium wasted them.

DECLAN RICE: 6

Improved aft the interruption but failed to truly stamp his authorization connected the game. You would person thought this crippled would person been cleanable for the England midfielder.

ETHAN NWANERI: 8

Set up the archetypal extremity and Arsenal’s champion subordinate on with sub Merino.

He had Arsenal’s champion chances of the 2nd fractional but helium fired 1 changeable wide and past hammered an effort against the post. His transverse for Merino was perfect.

Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri tackling Leicester City's Bobby Decordova-Reid.Reuters
Ethan Nwaneri ran the amusement for Arsenal[/caption]
Ethan Nwaneri, Arsenal midfielder, reacts aft  missing a scoring opportunity.AFP
Teenager came wrong a whisker of opening the scorer arsenic helium deed the woodwork[/caption]

LEANDRO TROSSARD: 5

If helium is Arsenal’s reply to their problems up beforehand past they person large issues.

Played arsenic a mendacious 9 until the accomplishment of Merino and did not look up to it. Had two first-half chances successful bully positions but failed to marque the astir of them but helium acceptable up the 2nd goal.

RAHEEM STERLING: 4

Dreadful performance. Looks thing similar the subordinate of a fewer years agone and it was hardly astonishing helium was Arsenal’s archetypal subordinate to beryllium subbed.

Had a changeable deflected wide but delivered precise fewer problems down the left. 

Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss and Arsenal's Raheem Sterling vying for the ball.Reuters
Raheem Sterling had a tricky afternoon[/caption]

Match Stats

SUBS

MIKEL MERINO: 8 (for Sterling 69 minutes) – Had ne'er played up beforehand earlier but answered Arteta’s SOS telephone emphatically with 2 precocious goals.

JORGINHO: 6 (for Partey 75 mins) – Brought connected to support much power successful midfield arsenic Partey started to flag.

RICCARDO CALAFIORI: 7 (for Myles-Skelly 76 mins) – Played cardinal relation successful 2nd extremity with driving tally done middle.

KIERAN TIERNEY: 6 (for Trossard 89 mins) – Scot played connected helping for closing minutes.

Mikel Merino of Arsenal scoring a goal.Rex
Merino finished astatine the backmost station for the 2nd goal[/caption]
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