Paul Merson has told to continue starting Eddie Nketiah, but says his former club should nevertheless let the striker go at the end of the season.
Nketiah made a rare start for the Gunners on Wednesday night against and stunned almost everyone when he bagged a brace at Stamford Bridge in the 4-2 win.
The 22-year-old is now expected to once again lead the line for Mikel Arteta’s side in their crucial game against on Saturday, which could determine whether the club will be playing in the next season.
‘Eddie Nketiah reminded me of Ian Wright against Chelsea, and he should play every game now for Arsenal until the end of the season,’ Gunners icon Merson wrote in his column for the .
‘He is a better finisher than Alexandre Lacazette and should score more goals, so I’d leave him in there and let him have a run in the team.
‘I played with one of the greatest in Wrighty and both of those goals he scored were Wrighty all over. I can’t see Lacazette scoring goals like those. For the first one, he anticipated the backpass, cut across the defender and put it in the corner.’
Despite making his Arsenal debut way back in 2017, Nketiah has been unable to establish himself in the Gunners’ first team despite the occasional flashes of brilliance.
Along with fellow striker Lacazette, he is out of contract in the summer and it was largely assumed that he would leave his boyhood club on a free, with Borussia Monchengladbach and Crystal Palace interested in acquiring his services.
But following the Chelsea result, there has been talk of extending his deal, with Arteta keen not to lose both his No. 9s, although Arsenal are still very likely to sign a new striker in the summer anyway.
‘He is not the long-term answer. He could play against Manchester United and be a 4/10 – there’s no consistency,’ Merson added.
‘It is like there’s something missing. And that’s why he’ll probably leave in the summer. He says they’ve made him an offer and he’s delaying his decision.
‘He probably thinks he’ll get more game time elsewhere because he knows Arsenal will buy a striker this summer. I don’t see him scoring 25 goals for Arsenal next season even if he did stay, so maybe it’s for the best if he leaves.
‘But for right now, he has to play. It’s Catch 22 for Arsenal with Nketiah because if he keeps playing like [he did against Chelsea], he’ll want more in wages to stay – and there will be other teams coming in for him.’
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