If you had asked Arsenal fans about the team’s options at No. 9 at the start of the season, many wouldn’t have included Eddie Nketiah in their response.
Now they do. The English centre-forward has scored six goals in as many games across competitions since the resumption of the season in late December.
He had to wait until Gabriel Jesus’ knee injury at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, for which the Brazilian underwent surgery last month. But Nketiah has made the most of the opportunities handed to him.
His latest exploits came in the form of a superb brace in his team’s 3-2 league win against Manchester United at the Emirates on Sunday (22 January). Before this, Nketiah had never been on the pitch for the entirety of five Premier League games in a row.
Manager Mikel Arteta has now entrusted big responsibilities to the 23-year-old. He is the team’s main man up front in the absence of Jesus.
Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has even gone on to suggest that the Brazilian forward may struggle to displace Nketiah from the Arsenal starting XI once he returns from injury.
He said on the Kelly and Wrighty Show (h/t TheBootRoom):
“I think now his teammates are going to see him in a different light. As much as they probably love him and respect him, when you score two goals against Manchester United like that, you put yourself in a different category.
“You’re not an academy player anymore. You’re an established player. When Gabriel Jesus comes back, you could probably flip a coin. Is he going to walk back into the side? I’ve been blown away by his progression.”
Eddie Nketiah’s influence on Arsenal in numbers
Sometimes statistics aren’t enough to truly encapsulate a player’s influence on the team. But in Eddie Nketiah’s case, they are.
Since the end of the Qatar World Cup, he has had a total xG (expected goals) of 0.99 per 90 minutes — the most at Arsenal. Bukayo Saka is next on the list with 0.29 xG per 90 minutes (h/t Understat).
This shows the tangible impact that Arsenal’s No. 14 is having up front. Gabriel Jesus will probably retain his position in the starting XI whenever he is fit to start again.
The former Manchester City forward’s playmaking abilities, coupled with his goal threat up front, make him one of the most dangerous strikers in England. He has registered five goals and six assists in his 14 league appearances for Arsenal.
But Nketiah will hand manager Mikel Arteta a selection headache week in and week out. Or, one could argue, that he would give the Spanish tactician the option to rest and rotate Jesus with relative ease of mind.