Arsenal remain on the road to start 2025 this Saturday as the Gunners visit Brighton & Hove Albion yet, looking ahead, boss Mikel Arteta wants ‘much more’ from one player.
The north London giants kicked off the New Year this Wednesday as Gabriel Jesus inspired a 3-1 Arsenal win at Brentford. After falling 1-0 down after only 13 minutes as Bryan Mbeumo punished David Raya’s poor position, Arsenal responded in a dominant second-half showing.
Now, a trip to the Amex Stadium awaits as Arteta bids to see Arsenal apply further pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool before the Anfield side’s first game of 2025 at home to Manchester United this Sunday. The Gunners are six points back after their first 19 matches.
Mikel Arteta believes Mikel Merino has ‘much more’ to offer Arsenal
Goals from Jesus, Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli at Brentford ensured Arsenal did not drop any more points to Liverpool in the 2024/25 Premier League title race. His strike in the 50th minute to put the Gunners ahead was Merino’s second since his arrival in the summer.
Yet Arteta believes Merino is capable of giving Arsenal ‘much more’ than the 28-year-old has so far shown through his 19 appearances yet. The Spaniard has only played in 12 and started in only six Premier League fixtures, as well, after Merino missed five matches through injury.
READ MORE: Arsenal’s 2024 signings graded, including Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori
Had Merino’s Arsenal career not begun with a shoulder injury before later sustaining a knee issue on top of missing pre-season after helping Spain win Euro 2024, then Arteta expected a quicker start for him. But Arteta is starting to see why Arsenal paid £28.5m to sign Merino.
“We expected a very fast integration because he’s such an intelligent, experienced player and I think he fits very well,” Arteta said during his pre-game press conference on Friday.
“He had an injury, he had another little niggle and he had no pre-season because he played for Spain, as well, and it took him just a while to start to get set.
“But, now, you can see straight away the impact he has in the team, his intelligence, the goal threat he offers the team, and then more and more will come because he’s a natural leader, as well. And the more that he grows in the role, I think we’ll see much more from him.”
Mikel Merino must prove Mikel Arteta’s belief to appease Arsenal fans’ discontent
Arteta will certainly hope to see ‘much more’ from Merino going forward, starting from this weekend as Arsenal visit Brighton. The 31-cap Spain international has struggled to show for the Emirates Stadium side all of the qualities that Arteta coveted when targeting his arrival.
Since joining from Real Sociedad last August when Arsenal gave Merino a £130,000-a-week contract through June 2028, he has been in-and-out of the Gunners’ XI. Along with Merino suffering two injuries, Arteta has struggled to rely on what the midfielder adds to the team.
Merino has not offered much of a creative threat and has also committed a foul every 38.3 minutes in the Premier League. Just Oleksandr Zinchenko at one every 33.9 has committed fouls more often amongst the Arsenal players who have more than 100 top-flight minutes.
Even Troy Deeney questions if Merino is good enough for Arsenal, as the Watford hero still held major reservations about the Spaniard’s level after his display at Brentford. Numerous Arsenal fans slammed Merino against Everton, as well, due to an anonymous performance.
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