Mikel Arteta makes decision on whether Ethan Nwaneri will start for Arsenal vs Tottenham
Ethan Nwaneri is suddenly in contention to make his full debut for Arsenal against Tottenham.
The North London Derby is just a few days away, and both sets of fans are really excited to see who will win the bragging rights early in the season.
Mikel Arteta is in a bit of trouble going into the game as seven Arsenal players could be ruled out of the Tottenham clash on Sunday.
One of them is Martin Odegaard, and Nwaneri could be an option to replace the Arsenal captain against Spurs.
Will Mikel Arteta start Ethan Nwaneri in Tottenham vs Arsenal?
Nwaneri is one of Arsenal’s brightest young talents.
The teenager made history a couple of years ago by becoming the youngest-ever player to make an appearance in the Premier League.
Nwaneri is expected to get minutes at Arsenal this season, but will he get the nod from the start in the North London Derby against Tottenham?
If GiveMeSport are to be believed, the answer is no.
The report reveals that Nwaneri ‘won’t be thrust into the side’ on Sunday despite Odegaard’s potential unavailability following his ankle injury.
It has been claimed that Nwaneri will be ‘eased into the first-team ranks this season’ and his first start is expected to come against Bolton in the League Cup later this month.
Nwaneri could still feature against Tottenham off the bench, but as things stand, starting him is not an option for Arteta.
Who could start for Arsenal if Martin Odegaard is ruled out?
Arsenal’s midfield could be severely weakened going into the game against Tottenham.
Declan Rice is suspended following his red card against Brighton, and Mikel Merino is ruled out because of his injury and isn’t expected back until October.
Odegaard’s potential absence makes it an even bigger blow, and Arteta now has to find a player to fill in as Arsenal’s number 10 on Sunday.
Nwaneri would be a great option, but a game of this magnitude might just be too big for him to make his full debut.
Arsenal fans want Bukayo Saka to play in Odegaard’s role, but the Englishman has only played there once before in the Premier League – in a 2-1 loss to Brighton.
The other two options are Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard, and we think Arteta is going to go with one of them against Tottenham on Sunday.
