Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta feels he has been unfair with Eddie Nketiah this season following the striker’s brace against Chelsea in the Premier League.
Nketiah, who is out of contract this summer and expected to leave on a free transfer, has not started any game do Arsenal this season prior to Lacazette injury with all 13 of his appearances came off as substitutes.
Arteta handed him his first start in Premier League against Southampton but could not make much of it as Arsenal suffered 1-0 defeat at St. Mary’s stadium.
He also earned another start against the Blues with Gabriel Martinelli surprisingly featuring on the bench. The decision proved worthwhile.
Nketiah scores twice to give Arsenal 4-2 victory over Chelsea. (Getty Images)
Nketiah took advantage of a loose back pass from Andreas Christensen before showing excellent composure to convert past the advancing Edouard Mendy.
With the scores 2-2 in the second half, Nketiah got another lucky break after another defensive mishap from the Blues in the box. He capitalised perfectly.
There was a moment of pinball within the box, but the 22-year-old was fully alert and poked home a shot that found the bottom left corner of Chelsea’s net.
The Gunners eventually sealed a stunning 4-2 victory at Stamford Bridge last night. Speaking after the game, Arteta acknowledged his mistake on Nketiah.
The Spanish tactician said that he has been unfair with him this campaign, and he should have had more courage to play him regularly in recent months.
He told Arsenal.com: “If there is one player that I have been unfair with, I think it is him. He has given me every right to do something different, so if Eddie hasn’t played more.”
“It’s my fault and because as a manager I have missed something or I haven’t had the courage to play him more, and today he showed me again how wrong I was.”
The Gunners had gone into the game on the back of three successive league defeats. They were outsiders against the Blues, but managed to surprise them last night.
With the victory, the club have gone level on points with Spurs for the fourth spot, but their north London rivals have a superior goal difference of eight at the moment