Mikel Arteta is of the opinion that Eddie Nketiah should be included in the lineup when Arsenal faces West Ham United this Wednesday. Arteta sees this as an opportunity to build on the positive momentum gained over the weekend. While Nketiah has already been quite active during the 2023/24 season, it was the recent weekend performance that really stood out.
Prior to this weekend, Nketiah had scored only a couple of goals and provided one assist in his first 13 appearances of the season. However, he marked a significant turning point by netting a remarkable hat-trick against Sheffield United.
With Gabriel Jesus sidelined due to injury, there’s now a question of whether Arteta should continue to field Nketiah in upcoming matches like the League Cup tie against West Ham United. On one hand, Nketiah is riding high on his recent success. On the other, Arsenal has a significant Premier League fixture against Newcastle United approaching, and they need to manage Nketiah’s playing time carefully to avoid overuse.
Arteta acknowledged this dilemma and suggested that, although Nketiah’s minutes need to be monitored, the striker must be utilized. The question remains whether Nketiah will start or come off the bench.
Arteta’s response to this question was that it could be both. He emphasized the importance of using players like Eddie, highlighting Nketiah’s current form. Nketiah has a strong history in the League Cup, even finishing as the competition’s joint-top scorer in the 2021/22 season. He boasts an impressive record with 11 goals and one assist in 13 League Cup appearances, with the recent assist coming in the last round against Brentford.
Furthermore, Nketiah has shown his prowess against West Ham in recent seasons, scoring twice in his 261 minutes on the pitch against them, resulting in an unbeaten record for Arsenal in six appearances, with five wins. The decision now lies with Arteta on how best to deploy this promising talent.
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