Paul Merson thinks Arteta will drop £20m Arsenal player v Norwich

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Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah was sensational in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals earlier this week.

However, Gunners legend Paul Merson reckons Mikel Arteta will drop the 22-year-old against Norwich.

Nketiah scored a hat-trick as Mikel Arteta’s Gunners hammered Sunderland 5-1 in midweek.

The Hale End graduate – who The Athletic claims is valued at £20million – opened the scoring on 17 minutes.

Nketiah found the net on the rebound following a save from Rob Holding’s header.

Nicolas Pepe then doubled the Arsenal lead 10 minutes later with an effort that deflected off Callum Doyle.

Nathan Broadhead halved Sunderland’s deficit with a superb dink over Bernd Leno.

However, Nketiah restored Arsenal’s two-goal advantage early in the second half.

Nuno Tavares whipped the ball in towards the near post, and the striker got across his man and flicked it into the net.

Nketiah then sealed his hat-trick in style on 58 minutes, latching onto Pepe’s delivery and flicking past Lee Burge.

To cap off a wonderful night for Arsenal, debutant Charlie Patino grabbed his first senior Gunners goal late on.

The Gunners are now a step closer to silverware after a difficult trophyless season last time out.

And in the Premier League, Arsenal sit fourth following three league wins in a row.

In comparison, Norwich sit bottom of the table and have lost their last three in the league.

However, Merson thinks Arteta will revert to a front three of Alexandre Lacazette, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.

“Nketiah laid down a marker in the Carabao Cup,” Merson wrote on Sportskeeda.

“But I don’t think Arteta’s going to tamper with a winning formula this week.

“Lacazette, Martinelli and Saka have been impressive for Arsenal and will lead the line against Norwich.”