Chris Sutton says 24-year-old Arsenal player is too nice, he needs to be more ‘nasty’

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Chris Sutton has been singing the praises of Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah but had some words of advice for him as well.

Nketiah rattled in a fine hat-trick this weekend as Arsenal hammered Sheffield United to keep pace with the top of the table.

For Nketiah, it was the ideal way to come into the team following Gabriel Jesus’ injury. The striker will now hope to keep it up, although he did pass up the chance to make it four by handing a penalty to Fabio Vieira.

And speaking on the It’s All Kicking Off Podcast, Chris Sutton has said Nketiah should have took the pen himself and been ruthless.

Chris Sutton criticises Eddie Nketiah for penalty call

Speaking about the decision to hand the ball to Vieira, Sutton said he believes the top strikers in the game simply wouldn’t have done the same.

“We have discussed the penalty situation at the weekend. The difference between your Shearers, your Wrights, your Larsson’s, they wouldn’t be giving the ball away for a teammate. You can get another goal on the tally there,” Sutton said.

“They would grab the ball, pop it on the spot and push everybody away. I’m taking this. Eddie Nketiah was happy with his hat-trick. Shearer and Wright want more, they want four, five or six. That’s the difference. That’s where Nketiah can improve. If he wants to be top. If he wants to lead the line. If he wants to be the number nine at Arsenal. Talent wise I think he has got it, he’s a brilliant finisher, but he has to be nasty. He has got to be ruthless.”

Nketiah is Arsenal’s top PL goal scorer this season and could end up ruing that chance if he ends up down the ladder further in the season.

Nketiah has to keep scoring goals

You can see why Nketiah gave the ball to Vieira this weekend, there were other things at large.

But, Sutton does have a point here. There’s no way those mentioned or a Harry Kane or Erling Haaland doing the same.

Sure, Nketiah had got his three and wanted to pass the load onto someone else. But the best strikers live and breathe goals and he could have got another here.

It will be interesting in the future if this happens again, that’s for sure.