Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@jeorgebird / Getty
Topics: Arsenal, Fan Reactions, Bayer Leverkusen, Football, Mikel Arteta
Ryan Smart
Topics: Arsenal, Fan Reactions, Bayer Leverkusen, Football, Mikel Arteta
Arsenal fans are all raving about the same player after seeing his performance against Bayer Leverkusen.
Mikel Arteta's side took a step further in their Premier League preparations with a 4-1 win over the reigning Bundesliga champions at the Emirates Stadium.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all scored in the first half, before Kai Havertz - playing against his former club - netted a fourth goal on 65 minutes.
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Arsenal fielded a strong starting XI for the friendly, with Arteta's side perhaps not looking too dissimilar to the one that will take on Wolves on August 17.
Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes were among the other key players appearing from the start, while England duo Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice came off the bench in what was their first appearance since the Euro 2024 final.
Arteta also gave academy talents a chance to shine, with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ayden Heaven and Josh Nichols all coming off the bench.
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But Gunners fans were most impressed by the performance of 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, who became Arsenal's youngest-ever first-team player when he came off the bench against Brentford in September 2022.
The winger, who signed his first professional contract with Arsenal in March amid heavy interest from Chelsea, was not immediately promoted to the first team after that debut, with the Gunners allowing him to continue his development in the academy sides.
He scored 11 goals in 15 appearances for the U21s last season - and Arsenal fans are hoping to now see him take the next step after his cameo against Leverkusen.
Taking to Twitter, one fan wrote: "Really enjoying this Ethan Nwaneri cameo so far. Positive in everything he's done and links up nicely with the players around him, so quick with the ball at his feet."
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Another added: "Nwaneri is so robust, so quick, so aggressive. This kid is going straight to the top man."
A third wrote: "Am watching Miles and Nwaneri play in the second half and my, my, my... the young lads have totally changed the pace of our attacking play. So happy to see Arteta is bringing them into the team."
A fourth stated: "Ethan Nwaneri is definitely good enough to get Prem minutes."
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While a fifth mused: "Hyping youth players is a risky game but there's no way Nwaneri doesn't make it to the top."