Arsenal may have an unhappy player on their hands after what happened against Crystal Palace on Tuesday night. The Gunners earned their spot in the Carabao Cup semi-final with an 8-7 penalty shootout victory over Palace, following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes.
Mikel Arteta made several changes for the contest with the Eagles and resorted to bringing Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice in order to grind out a positive result in a difficult contest.
Unfortunately for one player left on the bench, it was an occasion which showed that his immediate future might be better served away from the Emirates Stadium.
Ethan Nwaneri Frustration Continues
Odegaard and Nwaneri
Among the unused subs in North London was Ethan Nwaneri. The Arsenal starlet is among the hottest prospects at the club right now but things are going far from smoothly for him.
Named on the bench against Palace, the 18-year-old will have hoped to have got a rare opportunity to get on the pitch and showcase his undoubted talent. However, it wasn't to be, as he failed to enter the field and was left supporting from the sidelines.
Given his age, it might seem to some that showcasing patience might not be the worst thing in the world, particularly the competition for places within Arteta's squad.
But given the talent at his disposal, Nwaneri might feel that he deserves better, despite still being rated highly by the Spanish boss.
Ethan Nwaneri in action for England U21
Despite making cameo appearances in 2022/23 and 2023/24, it was last term when Nwaneri really announced himself by making 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing two assists. This term, however, the midfielder has been limited to just three starts in 11 appearances.
Described by Martin Odegaard as 'unbelievable', Nwaneri hasn't started a game since November 4th and it feels like an opportunity won't be forthcoming given the competition for places in his position between Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze.
Just 18, it's not a case of the midfielder needing to leave permanently, but the starlet is among the most talented young players in the Premier League right now and undoubtedly, he is good enough to be playing more regularly than he is now.
A loan move in January must surely be considered. Whether that is to a lower Premier League side, the Bundesliga or France or Spain, it feels like an opportunity to play week in, week out would be much more beneficial for his development than sitting on the bench.
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Bukayo Saka's injury during Arsenal's win over Crystal Palace could give Ethan Nwaneri more opportunities in the coming weeks.