Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised match-winner Mikel Merino for his ability to sense danger in the opponent’s box after the midfielder’s two late goals as a makeshift striker against Leicester City earned a precious 2-0 win on Saturday.
The victory moves Arsenal to within four points of Premier League leader Liverpool, though it has played a game more.
The visitors, missing forwards Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, who are all long-term injury absentees, looked toothless at times in the first half against their relegation-threatened hosts before Merino came off the bench to win them the game.
“Today was a day to make a statement after all the questions that had been raised around the injuries,” Arteta told TNT.
“They were two very different halves, in the first, we lacked urgency and were very inconsistent. The second half, we picked it up and won the game.”
Arteta spoke to Merino only hours before the game about coming off the bench as a striker but was non-committal over whether it would be an experiment he repeats.
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“At that moment, they (Leicester) were defending a little bit deep, and we were more set in the final third,” Arteta said. “We thought he (Merino) could deliver those moments. It is easier said than done, but he was excellent.
“Mikel has never played as a nine (striker), but he has that anticipation. He can smell danger, and he can execute.
“Let’s see (if he plays there again), we will analyse this one and go on to the next one.”
Arteta is relieved his side was able to close the gap on Liverpool, which hosts Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, and said his players will keep pushing for the league title as long as they are mathematically still in the race.
“Let’s see what happens now, we have to do what we can with things that are in our control. You have to be at your best to win,” he said.
“The team really wants it, we won’t stop and let’s see how far we can go.”
