Chris Sutton says he's completely changed his mind about Eddie Nketiah

By Ben Evans

Chris Sutton has now admitted he’s completely changed his mind about Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah.

Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Sutton was talking about the impact the 23-year-old has made for Arsenal.

All eyes were on Nketiah after the World Cup, with Gabriel Jesus ruled out with a serious injury picked up in Qatar.

The £100,000-a-week forward hadn’t started a league game before the mid-season break.

He’s now gone to become Arsenal’s top scorer in all competitions this season.

Nketiah’s brace against Manchester United may be looked back on as one of their most important moments of the season.

Ian Wright has said that every aspect of Nketiah’s game has improved this season.

Nketiah has always been thought of as a poacher, who only pops up in the opposition box,

However, he’s demonstrated that he’s capable of expert link-up play, and has tussled with some of the league’s best centre-backs.

Sutton shocked by Arsenal forward Nketiah

Writing on his Daily Mail column about the young forward, Sutton said: “I got it wrong. Feel free to cut out those words and frame them because you won’t see me saying that often!

“But on Eddie Nketiah, I got it wrong. I described Gabriel Jesus as ‘irreplaceable’ when he was injured.

“I thought Arsenal would struggle without him. But Nketiah has proved me and plenty of others wrong.

“He’s 23 and with the support of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, he’s used this rare run of Premier League starts to his advantage.

“That’s what young players have to do: grab the opportunity with both hands and don’t let go.”

It’s difficult to see Nketiah keeping his place once Jesus is fit, but he’s certainly given Arteta a lot to think about.

There were question marks over the new contract Arsenal handed Nketiah last summer, but it’s now looking like a brilliant decision.

Arsenal arguably have the best back-up striker in the league right now, and Sutton has admitted he was wrong about Nketiah.

The 23-year-old is proving plenty of people wrong right now, and is showing no signs of slowing down.