Arsenal secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Preston North End, with standout performances from Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Jesus, and a strategic substitution involving Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta shared his thoughts on these key moments in a post-match press conference.
Mikel Arteta on Ethan Nwaneri’s Performance: the 17-year-old wonderkid, once again captured the spotlight with his exceptional performance. Nwaneri scored a stunning goal from outside the penalty area, curling the ball into the top corner with his left foot. Arteta praised the young midfielder, stating, “He did it yesterday in training, so we’re getting used to that. He’s a big talent, he’s got the right attitude, he’s got the right players and context around him, and we need to make sure that we put brick by brick in the right order, but we have some player there”
Arteta continued to point up Nwaneri’s character, saying, “He wants to make every ball, he wants to make things happen. Outside and around the boys, he’s still a bit quiet, but that’s usual for a 17-year-old. His work ethic is tremendous, and he loves what he does.”
Mikel Arteta on Gabriel Jesus’ first goal since January: Gabriel Jesus’ strike came midway through the first half and set the tone for Arsenal’s dominant performance. Arteta expressed his delight, saying, “It’s been a long time, and I think it’s going to unlock that thing mentally and move on. I think he had a good performance tonight.”
Arteta emphasized the importance of Jesus’ goal, adding, “I think it’s going to unlock that for him, he looks really happy. He’s performing, that attitude is there always, but he needs that feeling that he can put the ball in the back of the net.”
Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka’s Substitution: Despite Arsenal’s comfortable lead, Arteta made a surprising substitution by bringing on Bukayo Saka in the second half. Saka, who had been traveling with the team, expressed his desire to get some minutes on the pitch. Arteta explained, “He’s in the rhythm and he has that exposure with us. He always says, ‘Once I’m here, I prefer to have a few minutes.’ We also wanted to protect Gabi [Martinelli] because he had quite a big impact in the first half, so it worked quite well.
Arteta’s decision to give Saka some playing time paid off, as the winger continued to build his match fitness and contribute to the team’s overall performance.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings