Eddie Nketiah made Jimmy Floyd Haselbaink eat humble pie with his double in ’s impressive win over .
The Gunners ran out 4-2 winners at Stamford Bridge to end a run of three successive league defeats with Nketiah bagging twice.
With not fit enough to lead the line for the visitors, 22-year-old Nketiah was handed a rare start by Mikel Arteta.
With Gabriel Martinelli and Lacazette left on the bench, former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink wasn’t convinced Nketiah should be starting because he ‘doesn’t do enough’ in certain areas.
‘He is playing for a big club, I know him quite well. He has been at Leeds, didn’t quite work out for him but it is a big ask for the boy,’ he said ahead of kick-off.
‘It is going to be hard for him to get the ball in the right areas because he is not strong enough, he comes alive in that box so he needs that service to come into the box.
‘I would have preferred him [Martinelli] to start, but for me, Nketiah does not do enough outside the box to get on the ball and move and be part of the other ten.
‘He only comes alive in the box, and in the box for Arsenal at the moment, not enough is happening.’
Nketiah went on to enjoy a memorable night at Stamford Bridge though as his brace, coupled with Emile Smith Rowe’s strike and Bukayo Saka’s penalty ensured Arsenal kept their top-four hopes alive.
They sit fifth in the Premier League table, level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham.
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