Arsenal could face a selection dilemma when some of their big-name stars come back from injury, with a depleted team demolishing PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League
Arsenal star Declan Rice expects Ethan Nwaneri to remain a key part of the Gunners’ side – even when Bukayo Saka returns from injury.
Nwaneri has deputised on the right of the front three while Saka works his way back from hamstring surgery. The teenager scored a memorable goal in the 5-1 Premier League victory over Manchester City in February, and had a starring role against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.
He was one of six different scorers as Arsenal secured a record-breaking 7-1 win at Philips Stadion. Martin Odegaard scored twice, while there was a goal apiece for Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori.
With Saka not expected to return until after the international break, Nwaneri should have a part to play against Manchester United in the league on Sunday and the second leg at home to PSV. Rice expects him to remain a big part of the set-up for even longer, though.
“Top. He’s 17-years-old and he’s on the biggest stage,” Rice told Amazon Prime Sport after the win, which brings Arsenal one step closer to a quarter-final against Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid.
“We’ve taken them [youngsters] under our wing and they deserve to be playing. You should see them train they way they have no fear and want to perform.
“Even if [Bukayo] Saka was here Ethan would be still getting minutes because he’s that good and works so hard in training. Same with Myles [Lewis-Skelly] despite having to come off for the yellow card tonight, we have so many top young players.”
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Speaking on TNT Sports, former England and Chelsea star Joe Cole anticipated a different role for Nwaneri during the business end of the tournament. “Nwaneri I think is going to be an absolute genius,” Cole said. “I think he’s the most exciting young footballer at the moment in England and maybe even Europe.”
He added: “I’m just thinking to myself when Saka and [Gabriel] Martinelli get back, I’d move him inside and play a double 10 with Odegaard. I think that’s where he’ll end up. With the pace either side of them, I think they might have a say in the Champions League.”
Nwaneri could also earn a first senior England call-up for the March internationals against Albania and Latvia. It will be the first squad under new manager Thomas Tuchel, and Cole suggested the German could turn to the Arsenal starlet immediately.
“For me I’m certainly bringing him in,” Cole continued. “He’s that good, I don’t think he needs the under-21s, in my opinion. I think he needs to go straight in with Thomas Tuchel, use him, get around the players, bringing him off the bench, blooding him in there.
“He’s an England player for the next 10 or 15 years. A wonderful talent, great mentality, he’s at the right club for him at the right time and i’d be stunned if Thomas Tuchel doesn’t say ‘I want to have a look at him at close quarters and bring him into the squad’.”
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