Arsenal man Eddie Nketiah has stated that he is not in the squad to replace Gabriel Jesus as the Gunners look to end 2022 at the top of the Premier League.
Jesus picked up an injury while representing Brazil at the just concluded World Cup in Qatar and the resulting surgery has sidelined him until February at the earliest. Arsenal are expected to struggle without his influence as his playing style is vital to how Mikel Arteta sets up his team.
Nketiah, the club’s backup striker, is expected to hold down the fort until the club can find a replacement for Jesus in the transfer window. Some pundits and fans believe he can step up to the plate and become the replacement that Arteta needs, however.
The 23-year-old got a rare Premier League start on Boxing Day when Arsenal welcomed West Ham United and put in a commanding performance, bagging a goal in a 3 – 1 comeback win.
Praise followed his performances and talks of him being Jesus’ replacement increased. Nketiah was asked about his performance and the talks of him replacing Jesus which he rejected while stating that he is his own player.
“I’m not here to replace him (Jesus),” Nketiah said to Amazon Prime. “I want to be my own player, but we all wish him well. There’s pressure any time you play for Arsenal.
“I think all the boys were at it today, firing, and it was nice for me to come in and contribute.
“We were very dominant today, we were just lacking that final pass. But we kept going and once we got one we knew we’d get more because we could feel the atmosphere behind us.
“There’s a real unity and connection with the fans and we want to build on it. We want to keep pushing and finish as high as possible, and we’re in great form at the moment.”
Nketiah’s goal was arguably the best of the night and it was his eleventh goal in 11 starts when Arsenal play at the Emirates. His performance helped the Gunners stretch their lead to seven points at the top of the table.
But the jury is still out on Nketiah’s ability to lead Arsenal in their coming games. The Gunners travel to Brighton and Hove Albion on New Year’s Eve before facing Newcastle United three days into the New Year.
Both matches are very key to their season, especially Newcastle, who are, like Arsenal, mounting a charge for the title. Brighton is one of the few teams to beat Arsenal this season, having knocked them out of the Carabao Cup in the third round.
Nketiah will have to put in string performances against both teams to convince Arteta to trust him more going forward.
