“Did you now see for yourself that this player deserves more game time? I told you before, but you nerves believed me and now he’s playing very well”- Arsenal icon Ian Wright told Arteta to stop benching 24-years old star and player proved Arteta wrong yesterday

Ian Wright suggests that Mikel Arteta now needs to start 24-year-old instead of Nketiah

Arsenal legend Ian Wright was full of praise for Kai Havertz when he replaced Eddie Nketiah against Manchester City yesterday.

Wright was speaking on the ‘Wrighty’s house’ podcast and explained that Havertz played a crucial role in the win.

The Arsenal legend thought that Nketiah was getting too wide at times and Havertz proved a much better focal point.

And Wright’s comments suggested that Mikel Arteta may be better off starting Havertz over Nketiah for Arsenal.

Wright said: “And you know what, if he [Havertz] doesn’t go in there to lay it back down, we may not get that [goal].

“Because some of the times, Eddie like I said, he did a lot of work today, made so many runs.

“But there’s times when you look in the build up when he’s either too far on the left if it’s on the right, or too far on the right if it’s on the left.

“And you just need that body, that focal point in the middle, that Thomas Partey can chip it in to, who can make sure that he chests it down to hold it and lay it back off.

“And I think that Kai Havertz coming on and doing that was absolutely brilliant for us today.”

Wright thought Arteta replaced Nketiah with Havertz for Arsenal at the perfect time

A lot of Arsenal fans had been calling for Havertz to get more chances as a striker before the game.

It’s quite unique to say that Havertz’s best moments in an Arsenal shirt have all come against Manchester City.

And that’s in large because they are the only games in which he’s played for long periods as a striker.

Wright wasn’t understating the role that Nketiah had played, he worked very hard to create the space for Havertz to help win the game for Arsenal.

But it would seem that Wright thinks Havertz can now thrive in a more advanced role as he played often at Chelsea.