Mikel Arteta has explained the rationale behind his decision to substitute Gabriel Martinelli with Ethan Nwaneri during Arsenal’s match against West Ham. Nwaneri, who made history as the youngest player in the Premier League when he debuted in 2022 against Brentford, seems to have a bright future ahead of him. In the Gunners’ dominant 6-0 victory over David Moyes’ team, Nwaneri was brought on with approximately 15 minutes remaining. Arteta confirmed that his tactical choices were influenced by the support of his squad, who were all eager to see the talented teenager in action. The Arsenal manager stated, “Having the trust of your teammates is crucial in a team. I had two indications of that trust: the players on the bench urging me to bring Ethan on, and the fact that his teammates constantly wanted to pass him the ball. This level of trust is evident in the number of times they gave him the ball. It’s a positive sign.” Nwaneri made a positive impact during his brief appearance, seamlessly fitting into the Gunners’ first team and earning the respect of his more experienced teammates, despite his young age. The attacking midfielder, who still has 18 months remaining on his contract, is already a well-established player for England’s under-17 national team and seems poised to take the next step in his promising career.
According to the Source caughtoffside.com