Unveiling Eddie Nketiah's Redemption: Arsenal's Striker Ready to Shine Against Manchester United Once Again

Arsenal's recent success, with seven points from their first three Premier League games, has led to higher expectations for Mikel Arteta. However, doubts about the manager's decision-making have emerged, with some suggesting that he may be overthinking his strategies.

The utilization of Thomas Partey in the defensive line and the choice of Leandro Trossard over the currently performing well Eddie Nketiah during the previous weekend's match against Fulham, have garnered attention, with Gary Neville urging Arsenal to "reorganize themselves and regain a formation that suits them".

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Sunday 3rd September 4:00pm

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That sentiment was shared by Paul Merson, who told We: "I do worry for Arsenal. Arteta is changing things around.

"It's quite complex, this experiment always... you really need to have faith in your players. What was the reason behind not starting Nketiah against Fulham?"

Nketiah has had a strong start to the season, finding the net in the victory against Nottingham Forest and playing a vital role in earning a penalty against Crystal Palace. Additionally, he received his first call-up to the England national team last Thursday.

In the match against Fulham, the 24-year-old managed to score as a substitute, indicating that Arteta may have realized his mistake in starting Trossard and replacing him with Nketiah at halftime. This was not the first time Arteta opted for a false nine instead of Nketiah, as he also used Havertz in that role during the Community Shield game against Manchester City.

Despite Gabriel Jesus being absent at the beginning of the season, Nketiah must have seen a chance to prove himself in the initial matches. However, he has only been given the opportunity to start in 50 percent of Arsenal's games. Nevertheless, Arteta has been quick to commend Nketiah recently, describing him as a genuine menace and someone who possesses a fierce determination.

The manager also mentioned after the victory against Forest that Nketiah's dedication during training indicated his desire to play. He recounted Nketiah's words, "Gaffer, if I don't play, you are blind." Despite this, if Nketiah is consistently performing well in both training and matches, why does Arteta appear to lack complete confidence in him?

The answer may lie in the data, which shows that Nketiah is less creative than his rivals for the No 9 shirt - while he also has a concerning habit of missing big chances.

Nketiah lags behind Jesus and Trossard in terms of assist production and completed final-third passes per 90 minutes, resulting in a lesser contribution to moving the game forward and creating opportunities for his teammates.

Furthermore, Nketiah has the poorest expected goals differential among all Arsenal players from last season onwards. Additionally, only Darwin Nunez has missed more significant scoring opportunities per 90 minutes in the Premier League during that timeframe.

Notwithstanding his tendency to miss a significant number of opportunities, Nketiah remains a considerably trustworthy scorer, with his statistics comparing favorably to Jesus and surpassing Trossard's by a large margin.

Nketiah's expected goals total is exceptionally high, placing him third in the Premier League per 90 minutes since last August, only behind Erling Haaland and Callum Wilson. Furthermore, he stands among the top nine forwards for passing accuracy during that same period. This indicates that Nketiah has the potential to contribute more actively to his team's gameplay. Although he often requires multiple chances to score, his ability to capitalize on numerous opportunities compensates for this.

However, it could be argued that Nketiah's quality is not solely questioned due to statistical reasons. His association with the Arsenal academy, although advantageous in terms of being a homegrown player cherished by supporters, may also detract from the allure of being a fresh and thrilling signing, such as Jesus, who has impressed elsewhere.

Instead, Nketiah may be perceived as a player with a certain level of ability, capable of securing a position in the team, but lacking the consistency to be a regular starter.

Furthermore, Nketiah's track record is somewhat limited when it comes to showcasing his potential. Aside from a disappointing loan spell with Leeds, he has never started more than nine league games in a season, despite being 24 years old.

As Nketiah contemplated leaving Arsenal last summer, it was notable that Crystal Palace and RB Leipzig, rather than other big-six clubs, showed the most interest in signing him. The return of Jesus from injury is bound to make Nketiah's path to consistent playing time, crucial for showcasing his actual value, even more challenging.

Nketiah can find solace in Arsenal's upcoming fixtures as they are set to host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. This match is considered to be the toughest challenge for the Gunners in this early stage of the season.

In the previous season, the striker experienced one of the highlights of his career when he scored two goals, including a crucial 90th-minute winner, in a thrilling 3-2 victory over the same opponents.

Nketiah's impressive cameo against Fulham could earn him a spot in Sunday's starting lineup. If he can replicate that performance against United, it may alleviate some of the complications in Arteta's life.

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