Martin Keown Hails Noni Madueke Impact After Arsenal Draw With Leverkusen

Martin Keown praises Noni Madueke after the Arsenal winger transformed the Champions League clash against Bayer Leverkusen.

Arsenal legend Martin Keown praised Noni Madueke for transforming the Champions League clash against Bayer Leverkusen after the winger’s explosive cameo in Germany.

Arsenal rescued a dramatic 1-1 draw in the first leg of their last-16 tie at the BayArena. However, the game shifted only after Madueke replaced Bukayo Saka shortly after the hour mark.

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Madueke’s energy and direct running changed the momentum and eventually created the decisive moment late in the match.

Arsenal entered the tie as Premier League leaders but struggled to find rhythm for large parts of the contest.

The Gunners controlled possession in spells but lacked sharpness in the final third. Their problems increased immediately after halftime when Robert Andrich powered a header past David Raya to give Leverkusen the lead from a corner.

On the right flank, Saka found little space to influence the game as Leverkusen doubled up defensively.

That prompted Mikel Arteta to make a decisive change from the bench.

Madueke Injection Changed Arsenal Attack

Keown immediately noticed the shift once Madueke entered the match.

Speaking on TNT Sports, the former Arsenal defender explained how the substitution altered the dynamic on the right side.

“They were very sloppy at the start of the second half,” Keown said. “The decisive management from Arteta was taking Saka off when it wasn’t working.

“Madueke with that driving run getting the penalty — he was so dynamic when he came on. I think he transformed Arsenal on that right-hand side.”

The winger wasted little time making an impact.

Late in the match, Madueke surged into the penalty area and drew a foul from Malik Tillman. After a VAR review confirmed the decision, Arsenal received a crucial spot-kick.

Former Leverkusen star Kai Havertz stepped forward to take the penalty.

The German forward remained calm under pressure and placed the ball into the bottom corner in the 89th minute.

Arteta later revealed he had given Madueke a simple instruction before sending him onto the pitch.

“Straightaway he changed the rhythm, the dynamic and the threat,” Arteta said after the match. “He had a big impact on the result.”

The equaliser ensured Arsenal will head into the return leg at the Emirates Stadium with the tie perfectly balanced.

Arsenal Take Momentum Into Second Leg

Despite an inconsistent performance, Arsenal left Germany with a valuable result.

The late equaliser highlighted the strength of Arteta’s squad depth and reinforced the importance of impact substitutes in tight European matches.

Madueke has already shown flashes of quality since joining Arsenal in 2025. His performance in Germany may increase calls for a bigger role in the squad.

For now, Arsenal fans will focus on the decisive second leg in north London, where home advantage could prove decisive.

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