MIKEL MERINO was Arsenal’s hero from the bench as he solved the striker crisis with two goals at Leicester.
With Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz both set to miss the rest of the season, Mikel Arteta started Leandro Trossard up front.
ReutersMikel Merino scored twice as Arsenal beat Leicester 2-0 at the King Power[/caption]
PAMerino lost his marker to head in the opening goal on 81 minutes[/caption]
But the Gunners struggled to find the breakthrough against a resilient Foxes defence.
That was until Merino came on and changed the game.
He headed in the opener from Ethan Nwaneri’s delicate cross on 81 minutes then made it 2-0 with a tidy back-post finish six minutes later.
Here’s how SunSport’s Charlie Wyett rated the Arsenal players…
DAVID RAYA: 6
Got his body behind an early Wilfred Ndidi effort but very little else to do until saving Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s rising shot in the 67th minute.
JURRIEN TIMBER: 6
Was caught out on a few occasions but he did try and get forward to help Nwaneri.
WILLIAM SALIBA: 6
Had a battle with Jamie Vardy and made sure that Leicester’s talisman was kept pretty quiet.
GABRIEL: 6
Strong in the air and generally coped well although Leicester were poor in terms of quality when going forward.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
GettyWilliam Saliba came out on top in his battle with Jamie Vardy[/caption]
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY: 7
Big intervention to stop De Cordova-Reid with 17 minutes left to deflect Jordan Ayew’s cross for a corner. That was quality defending when under real pressure.
THOMAS PARTEY: 6
Sat deep and mopped up the rare moments of Leicester pressure but did tire which is why he was replaced.
MARTIN ODEGAARD: 7
Showed quality in the final third but he is capable of much more. Two terrific passes in the first half to Trossard but he wasted them.
DECLAN RICE: 6
Improved after the break but failed to really stamp his authority on the game. You would have thought this game would have been perfect for the England midfielder.
ETHAN NWANERI: 8
Set up the first goal and Arsenal’s best player along with sub Merino.
He had Arsenal’s best chances of the second half but he fired one shot wide and then hammered an effort against the post. His cross for Merino was perfect.
ReutersEthan Nwaneri ran the show for Arsenal[/caption]
AFPTeenager came within a whisker of opening the scorer as he hit the woodwork[/caption]
LEANDRO TROSSARD: 5
If he is Arsenal’s answer to their problems up front then they have major issues.
Played as a false nine until the arrival of Merino and did not look up to it. Had two first-half chances in good positions but failed to make the most of them but he set up the second goal.
RAHEEM STERLING: 4
Dreadful performance. Looks nothing like the player of a few years ago and it was hardly surprising he was Arsenal’s first player to be subbed.
Had a shot deflected wide but delivered very few problems down the left.
ReutersRaheem Sterling had a tricky afternoon[/caption]
SUBS
MIKEL MERINO: 8 (for Sterling 69 minutes) – Had never played up front before but answered Arteta’s SOS call emphatically with two late goals.
JORGINHO: 6 (for Partey 75 mins) – Brought on to keep more control in midfield as Partey started to flag.
RICCARDO CALAFIORI: 7 (for Myles-Skelly 76 mins) – Played key role in second goal with driving run through middle.
KIERAN TIERNEY: 6 (for Trossard 89 mins) – Scot played on wing for closing minutes.
RexMerino finished at the back post for the second goal[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
