Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on Ethan Nwaneri for his performance in their Champions League thumping of PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday in the Netherlands.
Nwaneri, who has Nigerian heritage, delivered a standout performance in the Gunners’ commanding 7-1 victory in the quarterfinal first leg.
The match saw Arsenal dominate from the outset, with Nwaneri contributing significantly to the team’s success.
The 17-year-old midfielder, who joined Arsenal’s academy at the age of eight, has rapidly progressed through the ranks, making his Premier League debut at just 15 years and 181 days old, setting a record as the youngest player to appear in England’s top flight.
In the game against PSV, Nwaneri’s goal came as part of a trio of strikes within the first 31 minutes, alongside teammates Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino, establishing a dominant lead.
Despite PSV’s Noa Lang converting a penalty before halftime, Arsenal’s relentless attack continued, with captain Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard adding two goals in quick succession early in the second half.
Odegaard later secured his brace, and Riccardo Calafiori sealed the emphatic win with a seventh goal.
Manager Mikel Arteta expressed his delight with Nwaneri’s performance, stating, “I don’t think that he needs any pushing! You see him every time he has the ball what the intention is, so if he comes, he comes, and it’s great and really impressive again the way he behaved, the way he played tonight.
“It’s about consistency now, doing it again three days later in another big stadium.”
