Mikel Arteta, Jurrien Timber and Ethan Nwaneri (Photo by Ryan Pierse, Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Mikel Merino obviously grabbed the headlines with his match winning cameo at Leicester, but Ethan Nwaneri was the undoubted star of the show for Arsenal.
He was exceptional, even in the first half when he was head and shoulders above every single other player on the pitch.
That’s the sign of a real talent. He doesn’t just perform when others around him are playing well, he does it when everyone around him is struggling.
“I’ve got NO respect for him, he’s even worse than Mario Balotelli!” – which ex-Liverpool teammate is Steven Gerrard talking about?
To be able to do that at just 17 is incredibly exciting. And what makes it even better for Arsenal is that you have another teenage academy product shining at the other end of the pitch.
The last ditch clearance Myles Lewis-Skelly made to prevent Leicester scoring what looked to be a certain goal with around 20 minutes remaining was the most crucial moment of the match.
If that goes in, then Arsenal more than likely lose the game. The composure he showed in that situation to deflect the ball behind, when off balance as well, was very impressive.
Arsenal have saved £100m in the transfer market with homegrown duo
Usually at a club like Arsenal you have to wait a long time for a gifted academy product to come through and force their way into the first-team starting lineup.
So for two to do it at the same time is a major boost for the club and for Mikel Arteta. You are talking about two players that in today’s market would already be valued at over £100 million combined.
That’s huge for Arsenal, especially in the age of PSR.
How long have we said they needed competition and cover for Saka? It wasn’t long ago they were willing to splash out more than £50m to do that by signing Raphinha from Leeds.
Now, they don’t really need to do that because they have someone from the academy who can do that. That money can now be spent elsewhere.
The same goes for Lewis-Skelly and hopefully it will be Max Dowman as well, who looks certain to be the next talent from Hale End to make his mark on the first-team, when regulations allow.
