Rio Ferdinand claims people must start giving 24-year-old Arsenal player credit now

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Rio Ferdinand has now been praising an Arsenal player he feels should now be receiving a lot more credit than he currently gets.

Despite winning just days ago in pretty dramatic fashion, Mikel Arteta now has to refocus his Arsenal side for a huge tie against FC Porto tonight.

Arguably one of the most important games of Arteta’s tenure so far, Arsenal will be determined to avoid another round of 16 exit.

Not only because they have lofty ambitions of winning the competition, but also because they won’t want to further their position as nine-time record holders of being eliminated at this stage.

Having suffered a 1-0 loss late in Portugal a few weeks ago, Arsenal will need to produce the kind of goal-scoring form they’ve shown so often recently.

Of course, it seems as if Kai Havertz will be the key man for that, likely to start at the number nine.

And when recently speaking on FIVE, Rio Ferdinand said Havertz is an Arsenal player who now deserves more credit for his form since the turn of the year.

Rio Ferdinand says Arsenal player Kai Havertz deserves more recognition now

Ferdinand has been pretty vocal about Arsenal players recently, but on this occasion he was actually demanding more support for how far Havertz has come.

The pundit recognised that many fans were unhappy when he signed, but said the German was now often the player to step up.

He explained: “I think we need to give him his props because he’s been a player that came for big money and he’d won the Champions League, scored the winner in the Champions League – still coming under fire from different types of people.

“Goes to Arsenal, and some of the Arsenal fans are like, ‘well why are we spending that on him’, but this last month especially he’s adapted now to Arsenal and he’s started firing, he’s getting big goals and in this part of the season you need people to step up.

“The fact we’re not talking about no number nine at Arsenal, he’s one of the biggest reasons why. He needs his props 100%.”

More of the same

Of course, it is pretty incredible to consider that Kai Havertz could keep a reasonably fit Gabriel Jesus on the bench for a big Champions League tie tonight.

Jesus has previously been undroppable for Arteta, and although he may start on the left in the absence of Gabriel Martinelli, it seems Havertz has the number nine role locked down.

Ferdinand is right to recognise an Arsenal player who has been stepping up when his side needs him most.

And against Porto tonight it would be widely appreciated if he did the same.

That being said, it seems as if one other Arsenal player has already booked their spot in midfield.