Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal have been blown away by how quickly Ethan Nwaneri has settled in the first team. Nwaneri, 17, has stepped up in the absence of several injured attackers with the Gunners still looking to fashion a title race against leaders Liverpool . The teenager has contributed two goals and an assist in his past four appearances.
And Arteta, speaking before Saturday’s game against West Ham at the Emirates where a win would close the gap to five points before Arne Slot ’s Liverpool take on Manchester City Sunday, believes that Nwaneri’s confidence in big moments has left everyone at the club impressed. “Yes, it is probably much faster than we all expected. I think what is surprising is probably the confidence and his decision-making, especially in ball possession.
“The risks that he takes, the initiative that he takes and how clever he is about ‘ok, what is the situation? If somebody is more open’. I love that in a player and now he needs to do it consistently, every three days.” Arteta has been mindful of giving Nwaneri the freedom to flourish and has been wary of overloading him with information because there is a risk of stifling his creativity.
“For sure,” the Arsenal manager added. “Especially a player with that talent. Get him very very far from thinking mode, let him express himself.
“Put him in the environment, put him in the context that he can exploit his qualities as often as he possibly can, surrounded by players that fit his .
