Arsenal’s Title Hopes Boosted by Mikel Merino’s Heroics Against Leicester City
In a thrilling Premier League encounter, Arsenal’s Mikel Merino emerged as the unexpected hero, scoring two late goals to secure a 2-0 victory over Leicester City. This win keeps Arsenal’s title aspirations alive, especially given the club’s current injury crisis that forced Merino into an unusual centre-forward role. The match, held on a chilly Saturday, was a testament to Arsenal’s resilience and adaptability.
With this victory, Arsenal now sits at 53 points from 25 matches, trailing leaders Liverpool by four points, although Arsenal has played one more game. Meanwhile, Leicester City remains in the relegation zone with a mere 17 points from their 25 fixtures this season.
The game was a nail-biter until the 81st minute when substitute Merino headed in a cross from the talented teenager Ethan Nwaneri. Just six minutes later, Merino found himself unmarked at the back post, tapping in a perfect ball from Leandro Trossard to seal the win.
Reflecting on his unexpected role, Merino shared, “[Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta] told me I would come on as a striker and to make sure I play to my strengths. It is the first time in my career that I play in that position,” he told TNT. “Today was a tough game, we knew coming to play this team battling relegation it would be. But games like today are really good for the squad.”
Merino also praised Nwaneri, saying, “He is an amazing player, he is such a talent. I have been talking to him the whole season about supplying those kind of balls when I make late runs into the box.”
Arsenal’s current unbeaten streak in the league now extends to 15 games, with 10 wins, marking their best run since the 2010-11 campaign under Arsene Wenger. On the other hand, Leicester’s struggles continue, having gone 17 league games without a clean sheet. The frustration among Leicester fans was palpable, with muted protests aimed at director of football Jon Rudkin during the 14th minute of the game and outside the stadium beforehand.
The first half saw limited chances, with Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi coming close twice. His volley from the edge of the area was easily saved by Arsenal’s David Raya, and a header narrowly missed the post as the half concluded.
Arsenal dominated possession in the second half, with Nwaneri’s shot skimming the crossbar. Leicester’s Bobby De Cordova-Reid nearly scored from a low cross by Jordan Ayew, but Myles Lewis-Skelly made a crucial interception.
Arsenal’s frustration grew when Rice set up Nwaneri, whose powerful shot hit the post. However, Merino’s late goals turned the tide, and with key players like Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Bukayo Saka sidelined with long-term injuries, Merino might find himself in the striker role more often.
Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss expressed his disappointment, saying, “I think we did well for 80 minutes to take a result today but you cannot lose concentration against those teams. It is easy for Merino to head it in. We have to do better in those situations.”
He added, “We were fighting all together as a team. We know we have to fight for each ball and it’s what we did for 80 minutes. It’s hard to take.”
- Arsenal’s unbeaten streak: 15 games
- Leicester’s clean sheet drought: 17 games
- Arsenal’s current points: 53
- Leicester’s current points: 17
Originally Written by: ESPN
