Ethan Nwaneri in action. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Teenage talent Ethan Nwaneri is the man to help Arsenal fill the void left by the injured Bukayo Saka.
That’s the view of club legend Martin Keown, who believes Nwaneri could ‘offer something different’ for the Gunners.
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Saka has been one of the most effective players in the Premier League this season, registering five goals and 10 assists in 16 Premier League appearances. Across all competitions, that record extends to nine goals and 13 assists in 24 games.
However, the England international picked up what appears to be a hamstring injury that has Mikel Arteta very worried.
Arsenal look almost certain to be without Saka for the rest of the festive schedule.
But the Gunners cannot afford to let their foot off the gas, already trailing Premier League leaders Liverpool by six points with a game extra played.
With that in mind, Arteta needs to make sure the absence of Saka doesn’t hit his squad too hard.
Ethan Nwaneri to fill Saka void for Arsenal?
Ethan Nwaneri in action for Arsenal this season
Ethan Nwaneri in action for Arsenal this season (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Keown has backed Nwaneri to help fill the void, as well as Gabriel Jesus, who has scored five goals in his last two games after managing just one in his previous 20 this season.
“I don’t know of a player that has created more chances for his colleagues in the Premier League this season, so he’s obviously going to be a really big miss,” former Arsenal centre-back Keown told talkSPORT.
“It’s up to someone to step up, maybe [Ethan] Nwaneri, who has been playing in the [Martin] Odegaard role, maybe he could come in to the front line and give us something different.
“Jesus has suddenly scored five goals in a week, that’s been a long time coming, so he needs to sustain that.
“But it’s in that final third where there needed to be more creativity and it could be less now as you’re losing one of the best players in the Premier League.”
Nwaneri has played just 108 minutes in the Premier League this season, scoring once. However, the 17-year-old does have three goals to his name in three EFL Cup appearances.