MIKEL MERINO rescued toothless Arsenal’s title bid with two goals in the last 10 minutes that now pile the pressure on leaders Liverpool.
The Spanish midfielder, sent on with 20 minutes to go as a makeshift centre forward, headed home Ethan Nwaneri’s cross and converted fellow sub Riccardo Calafiori’s centre to close the gap at the top to four points.
RexMikel Merino heads home Arsenal’s winner[/caption]
PAThe Spaniard celebrates grabbing the Gunners’ opener[/caption]
Until that crucial moment Mikel Arteta’s injury-hit side were heading for a draw that would have handed the initiative straight back to Arne Slot’s Reds after their disappointing result in the Merseyside derby.
Although teenage sensation Nwaneri had hit the woodwork twice, once in either half, the Gunners had not forced Foxes goalkeeper into a meaningful save.
Arteta’s lack of attacking options was shown after Kai Havertz joined the casualty list was shown when Arteta threw Merino on for the last quarter of the game..
But the Spaniard, who was injured himself in his first training session with the Gunners last summer, came up trumps.
Arsenal had the better possession early on but the first chance fell to Leicester’s Wilfried Ndidi.
When a cross was half cleared, the midfielder sent a volley from the edge of the box straight into David Raya’s arms.
The Gunners’ Ethan Nwaneri was looking lively, and sent in a tempting cross only for Declan Rice’s header to deflect off James Justin and go wide.
That was about it until a Jordan Ayew error set Raheem Sterling off on a run that ended with a shot which went behind off Wout Faes.
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ReutersMerino nets Arsenal’s second of the afternoon[/caption]
GettyArsenal’s makeshift forward knee slides after bagging his second[/caption]
Then Martin Odegaard’s scooped pass looked to be dropping nicely for makeshift centre forward Leandro Trossard, but the Belgian totally misjudged it and the chance was gone.
A poor first half was petering out when Ndidi had the chance to give the home side the lead.
Left-back Victor Kristiansen’s cross was excellent but the Nigeria international could not even put his header on target.
Arsenal started the second half with a bit more conviction. If Rice’s lay-off to Sterling had been better, the former Man City winger would have had a clear sight of goal.
Then Sterling was stopped in his tracks by Leicester substitute Woyo Coulibaly, who had come on late in the first half for the injured Justin.
The away team forced a number of corners without making any of them count, but they were getting closer. Most notably when Nwaneri grazed the bar with a shot from 20 yards on the hour.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid made sure Raya was still awake with a shot on target but it was a rare forward threat from the home team.
Arteta had seen enough of Sterling with 20 minutes to go, sending on midfielder Mikel Merino to play as a stop-gap centre forward and moving Trossard to the left.
Then Leicester almost took the lead. Ayew broke and crossed to the far post where only Myles Lewis-Skelly’s touch stopped De Cordova-Reid from tapping the ball home.
Arsenal went straight down the other end and almost scored themselves. Again it was Nwaneri and again he was denied by the woodwork, this time hitting Hermansen’s left-hand post.
WIth less than a quarter of the game to go, Arteta had seen enough of Sterling toiling down the left and on came Merino.
With less than 10 minutes to go, the substitute delivered.
Leicester failed to clear. Nwaneri’s cross was gorgeous, Merino’s run was perfectly timed and his header was firm and well-directed.
The away fans went ballistic. Leicester tried to come back but did not look like equalising before an attack broke down and ARsenal showed the ruthlessness they had lacked for so long.
Calafiori ran down the left and sent in a perfect cross that Merino gave the finish it deserved.
The title race is very much on.
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