Sky pundit raves about Arsenal player who’s ‘put muscle on’, wouldn’t hesitate to start him tomorrow

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Arsenal legend and Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas has urged Mikel Arteta to start Eddie Nketiah once again when the Gunners return to Premier League action on Saturday.

The 21-year-old striker, widely rated as one of the brightest players to have emerged from the Arsenal ranks in recent years, has broken into the Gunners first team this term.

Arteta, who succeeded Unai Emery as manager in December, opted against allowing Nketiah to head back out on loan after a stint at Championship high-flyers Leeds United.

Prior to English football being suspended, the forward scored against Everton and helped his side to three straight wins.

Arteta opted to start Nketiah against Manchester City on Wednesday and he began well, getting behind Eric Garcia on a couple of occasions.

However, he was left isolated for much of the game, particularly after David Luiz’s sending off, but Nicholas thinks he should get the nod again for the trip to Brighton.

“Eddie Nketiah looked sharp but then could not get the service,” Nicholas wrote on Sky Sports.

“I would not have any hesitation about him starting against Brighton. He has put muscle on, and his link-up play was not bad for all he got.”

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With doubts over the futures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, combined with a potentially tight budget in wake of current events, it’ll be more important than ever for Arsenal to develop stars.

And Nketiah is certainly a star in the making, with plaudits – Nicholas aside – from the likes of Michael Owen and even Thierry Henry, who worked with him while coaching Arsenal’s Under-18s.

“He is a great kid and was a pleasure to work with,” Henry told ESPN in 2017. “He was always on time, listened hard and was a good worker, willing to learn and improve. He will always score goals, even when he’s 60.”

Nketiah’s display against Man City was very promising and as such it’s little surprise to see Nicholas urge for him to start.