Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri scored his second goal for Marseille in their 2-1 defeat to Lille but the match wasn't all plain sailing for the teenager
Marseille's English forward #11 Ethan Nwaneri (C) shoots the ball during the French L1 football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and Lille OSC at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille
Ethan Nwaneri was on the scoresheet as Marseille were beaten by Lille in Ligue 1(Image: Getty)
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Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri delivered a statement to his parent club after netting his second goal for Marseille in their 2-1 loss to Lille. But French media outlets were far less impressed with his all-round display.
Nwaneri, who departed the Emirates in January seeking regular first-team action in France, was once more relegated to the bench by boss Habib Beye on Sunday for what represented a pivotal fixture in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Following Roberto De Zerbi's exit, the 19-year-old has failed to earn a starting berth, though he was introduced to proceedings against Lille sooner than anticipated after Mason Greenwood sustained an injury and was substituted in the 18th minute. He broke the deadlock just before the interval, yet Nwaneri's side couldn't maintain their advantage.
An 86th-minute winner from former Gunners striker Olivier Giroud condemned Marseille to defeat, with Nwaneri already withdrawn by manager Beye in the 76th minute. Regardless of his first-half strike, the French press remain unconvinced by the talented Arsenal loanee.
La Provence
Nwaneri did score what was only his second goal for Marseille on Sunday, his previous effort arriving on his debut against Lens just a day following his arrival at the club. He also provided an assist from the bench during a vital triumph over Lyon at the start of the month.
Lille's players react after Marseille scored during the French L1 football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and Lille OSC at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille
The Englishman opened the scoring(Image: Getty)
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But whilst local publication La Provence acknowledged the importance of his goal, it stated that for the remainder of the encounter, he failed to make the anticipated impact.
A report notes: "He deserves credit for opening the scoring after coming on for Greenwood, but didn't have much influence on the rest of the game. Beye substituted him, bringing on Traore, who was virtually invisible."
GFNF
Online outlet GFNF agreed. Its report detailed: "After a stop and start spell it was the hosts that ended up opening the scoring after some great work from Igor Paixao.
"He stood up a cross to meet Nwaneri's late run and the Englishman met it with a lovely cushioned finish on the volley to open the scoring just before the break."
Lille's French forward #09 Olivier Giroud (C) and his teammates celebrate after winning the French L1 football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and Lille OSC at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille
Giroud bagged the winner for Lille(Image: Getty)
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However, when assessing Nwaneri's display, it noted: "The Englishman came on after Greenwood's concussion injury and managed to find his second goal in OM colours this season.
"He gradually felt his way into the game and his late run was smart and the finish on the half volley was exceptional. He did however, regress in the second period, losing the ball on several occasions when OM were looking to break quickly."
Foot Mercato
Regarding Nwaneri's overall performance, Foot Mercato reached a similar conclusion to other outlets, suggesting that as the match wore on he became progressively ineffective.
Its report states: "Greenwood, brought down by the Lille player, ultimately had to leave the field and was replaced by Nwaneri in the 18th minute.
"He was a bit sloppy on his first touches, but he finally broke the deadlock by perfectly converting a cross from Paixao. Less prominent as the minutes ticked by, he was eventually called back to the bench."
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