Martin Keown has a theory over why Mikel Arteta is refusing to start Ethan Nwaneri at Arsenal

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has angered many fans by refusing to give Ethan Nwaneri many chances in the Premier League.

The Gunners have had a difficult start to the campaign and the biggest reason behind their struggles is the injury Martin Odegaard suffered in September.

The Norwegian spent around two months on the sidelines because of his ankle problem, and Arsenal really struggled when he was unavailable.

Arsenal fans were screaming for Nwaneri to start in the Premier League and the Champions League, but Arteta ignored them all. Martin Keown thinks he knows why.

Martin Keown explains why Mikel Arteta has not started Ethan Nwaneri regularly at Arsenal

Nwaneri is one of the most exciting young players in world football.

The teenager became the youngest player in history to make an appearance in the Premier League back in 2022, and he has improved a lot since.

Nwaneri is now a full-time first-team member, but the 17-year-old is yet to start a single game in the Premier League and the Champions League.

Many Arsenal fans were furious with Arteta for ignoring Nwaneri and using Leandro Trossard in Odegaard’s position during the Norwegian’s absence.

Keown, who knows a thing or two about making it into the first team from the academy, has now revealed why he thinks Nwaneri hasn’t started when Odegaard was out injured.

He said on talkSPORT: “Nwaneri is perhaps six months away from where the manager wants him to be.

“So, he’s held him back a bit, a real good talent, so the timing isn’t really helping from an Arsenal point of view.”

READ MORE: Ethan Nwaneri snubs Bukayo Saka in praise of two surprise Arsenal stars

More bad news for Nwaneri at Arsenal

Arteta has his reasons to not throw someone as young as Nwaneri into the deep end, and the Arsenal manager is probably right.

However, it was frustrating to see him stick with Trossard in the number 10 role when the Belgian was clearly struggling to create chances.

Now, with Odegaard back, Nwaneri’s chances of game time will further reduce in the Premier League and the Champions League in the coming months.

That is a shame, but we expect to see the teenager continue to start in the EFL Cup, where he has been absolutely outstanding so far.

If he continues his form there, Arteta could be persuaded into giving him more minutes in the bigger competitions.