“I don’t believe much in Merino as a striker, give this other guy a chance and he will prove to be even better than Merino”- Gary Neville names Arsenal player who could be a better striker than Mikel Merino.
“I don’t believe much in Merino as a striker, give this other guy a chance and he will prove to be even better than Merino”- Gary Neville names Arsenal player who could be a better striker than Mikel Merino.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville says he expected another Arsenal player to step in for Kai Havertz instead of Mikel Merino
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville says he expected another Arsenal player to step in for Kai Havertz instead of Mikel Merin to solve their striker crisis. However, he insists the club should never have allowed themselves to be in such a predicament.
The Gunners are currently facing a major injury crisis in attack, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus both ruled out for the season. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are also sidelined, leaving Mikel Arteta’s options severely limited in the final third.
Despite these setbacks, Arsenal secured a 2-0 victory over Leicester City on Saturday. Arteta fielded a makeshift front three comprising Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard, and Raheem Sterling, but it was midfielder Mikel Merino who emerged as the unlikely hero. The Spaniard, making an unusual appearance in a more advanced role, came off the bench to score both goals late in the match.
Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, expressed surprise at Merino’s attacking contribution and speculated that Rice might have been a viable option in the striker role. However, he was highly critical of Arsenal’s failure to address their striking deficiencies in the transfer market.
The former England international pointed out that Arsenal’s recent experience in title races should have prepared them for such a situation.
“This is not an inexperienced team anymore, it’s not an inexperienced manager,” he added. “Did you know this could have happened before the start of the season? Yes. Could it have been foreseen? Absolutely.”
Neville initially thought Rice might step into a more attacking role, with Jorginho or Thomas Partey playing deeper. However, Arteta opted for Mikel Merino to lead the line instead.
“Sometimes good can come from what seems to be bad, and you can develop something together,” Neville reflected.
Despite Arsenal’s victory, Neville remains unconvinced that their striker crisis has been resolved, warning that tougher challenges lie ahead.
“It’s going to be tough for Arsenal. They were playing against Leicester, who are in the bottom three, and they’ve got tough games coming up,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s plain sailing because they scored with 10 minutes to go.”
Neville emphasised that Arsenal, having spent heavily in recent transfer windows, should not be caught off guard by their lack of depth in attack.
“They have to find a way. No excuses. When you’ve been in a title race for two years on the bounce and spent hundreds of millions, you knew you had a slight weakness at centre-forward,” he concluded. “You can’t act surprised and feel sorry for yourself. And I’m sure Mikel Arteta’s not feeling that way either.”
With crucial fixtures ahead, Arsenal will need to find a reliable solution to their striker dilemma if they hope to maintain their title challenge and will hope Mikel Merino can continue in his current form.
