SM
Sports Mole words bigger AMP 2
Barcelona vs. Osasuna: 3 hrs 17 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
LL
Leicester logo
Premier League | Gameweek 25
Feb 15, 2025 at 12.30pm UK
King Power Stadium
AL
Arsenal logo

Leicester
0 - 2
Arsenal


El Khannous (46'), Ayew (57')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Merino (81', 87')
Jorginho (86')

Leicester 0-2 Arsenal: Electrifying Ethan Nwaneri's performance analysed after Lionel Messi comparison

:Headline: Leicester 0-2 Arsenal: Electrifying Ethan Nwaneri's performance analysed after Lionel Messi comparison:
Sports Mole analyses Ethan Nwaneri's performance for Arsenal against Leicester City in the Gunners' 2-0 Premier League win over the Foxes.
Sports Mole
'It's like Messi' - Just how good was Nwaneri against Leicester?

Players, managers and pundits alike could not stop waxing lyrical about Ethan Nwaneri following the Arsenal teenager's electrifying display in their 2-0 Premier League win over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

The striker-starved Gunners were found wanting in the final third for the first 80 minutes before Mikel Merino's heroic brace off the bench, but it was not for the want of trying for Nwaneri.

The Premier League's youngest-ever player was the sole bright spark in the first half, continued to terrorise the Leicester defence in the second period and earned extremely high praise from Joe Cole at full time.

"These little touches he produces in and around the box, I don't even want to say it but it's like Messi. I've said it," Cole said on TNT Sports, before stressing that he did not want to pile any more pressure on the 17-year-old's shoulders.

However, Nwaneri's teammates were inevitably asked on just how good Nwaneri can become, with goalscorer Merino adding: "He is an amazing player. Every time I do an interview you guys ask me about him."

Meanwhile, Jurrien Timber told BBC's Match of the Day about Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly: You almost forget they are so young. They are amazing for that age. It's from a different level and the sky is the limit for them."

After watching Raheem Sterling repeatedly struggle to impact the game, Mikel Arteta also praised Nwaneri for adding a layer of threat that others failed to provide, telling the press: "Every time he was on the ball he made things happen. He had another level of threat than the rest of the team."

The numbers behind Nwaneri's dazzling Leicester display

Just one quick glance at the statistics tells the story of Nwaneri's exhilarating display for Arsenal against Leicester, where the teenager was awarded a terrific 8.8 match rating by Sofascore.

Nwaneri contested a total of 15 duels and won no fewer than 12 of them, prevailing in 10 of his 13 battles on the ground and also winning both of his aerial duels against Ruud van Nistelrooy's men.

Arguably the only Arsenal player who looked capable of conjuring up anything for a long while, Nwaneri successfully completed six of his seven dribbles, five of which came in the first half; for context, every other player on the pitch managed three between them in the opening 45.

The England Under-19 international also came closest to breaking the deadlock twice - one curling strike that just cleared the bar and another effort on his right foot that smacked the woodwork.

Where the likes of Martin Odegaard are often so reluctant to have a crack with their weak foot, Nwaneri did not hesitate to let fly, although the teenager then used his wand of a left to send in a delicate cross for Merino's opening header.

Nwaneri's assist for the Spaniard was his fourth Premier League goal contribution, the fourth-most of any player before turning 18, only below Wayne Rooney (12), Michael Owen (eight) and Cesc Fabregas (six).

Totalling five shots, two key passes and three tackles at the King Power Stadium, Nwaneri appears to be thriving with the weight of all Arsenal fans on his shoulders, and Bukayo Saka cannot expect to waltz back into the team when fully fit.

body check tags ::

amp_article__565706 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2025-02-15 19:20:45:
html db last update - 2025-02-15 19:20:45 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!

Click here for more stories about Ethan Nwaneri

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
A Myles-stone: How could Arsenal teenager make history in Leicester clash?
"Hello again" - Bukayo beams as Arsenal star releases training photo
Premier League boss 'top of the pops' to replace Postecoglou at Spurs
Aston Villa to rival Newcastle for Kieran Tierney?
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool29217169274270
2Arsenal291610353242958
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest29166749351454
4Chelsea29147853371649
5Manchester CityMan City29146955401548
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2814594738947
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton29121164842647
8Fulham2912984338545
9Aston Villa2912984145-445
10Bournemouth29128948361244
11Brentford29125125045541
12Crystal Palace2810993633339
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd29107123740-337
14Tottenham HotspurSpurs291041555431234
15Everton2971393236-434
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2997133349-1634
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2975174058-1826
18Ipswich TownIpswich2938182862-3417
19Leicester CityLeicester2945202565-4017
20Southampton2923242170-499
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

"Blatantly obvious" - Arsenal told Jorginho summer transfer is "a done deal"

1

&O
"Blatantly obvious" - Arsenal told Jorginho summer transfer is "a done deal"

Man City 'worries' emerge as players have 'private concerns' about out-of-form star

2

MC
Man City 'worries' emerge as players have 'private concerns' about out-of-form star

Preview: Sittard vs. Sparta - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PS
Preview: Sittard vs. Sparta - prediction, team news, lineups

Chelsea alerted to 'bargain' transfer possibility to solve major Maresca problem

NEW

4

CA
Chelsea alerted to 'bargain' transfer possibility to solve major Maresca problem

Barcelona suffer crushing blow in pursuit of key Newcastle midfielder

5

BS
Barcelona suffer crushing blow in pursuit of key Newcastle midfielder

Chilwell lifts lid on Chelsea exile, reveals stance on training on his own

6

CL
Chilwell lifts lid on Chelsea exile, reveals stance on training on his own

European powerhouse 'emerge as contenders' for Man United's Onana

7

EP
European powerhouse 'emerge as contenders' for Man United's Onana

Preview: Fulham vs. Crystal Palace - prediction, team news, lineups

8

PF
Preview: Fulham vs. Crystal Palace - prediction, team news, lineups

Huijsen alternative: Real Madrid 'considering swoop' for towering centre-back

9

HA

Preview: Cardiff vs. Sheff Weds - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PC
1x1


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .