Ian Wright was eager to draw attention to Mikel Merino’s goal in Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid.
No one would’ve predicted the outcome of Arsenal’s 3-0 victory against Real Madrid, not only because of the scoreline.
The nature of the win was something remarkable, as Declan Rice scored two direct free kicks only 12 minutes apart.
Rice was compared to David Beckham for his ability to stun the Galacticos twice from set play, on what was the night of the midfielder’s life.
- READ MORE: Declan Rice’s second Arsenal free-kick hit ridiculous xG number, Thibaut Courtois had no chance
Ian Wright applauds Mikel Merino’s goal in Arsenal win vs Real Madrid
Rice’s goals rightfully earned the headlines however, the Englishman wasn’t responsible for scoring arguably the most important goal of the night.
Merino scored Arsenal’s third to ensure a three-goal lead is carried to the Bernabeu, netting the only strike of the night to come from open play.
For all of the attention on Rice’s brace, Ian Wright took a moment to reflect on Merino’s moment of magic, branding it one of ‘extreme quality’.
“This is one of the best finishes you’ll ever see in the box from a player that’s supposedly not a centre-forward,” the Arsenal legend said on the Wrighty’s House podcast.
“Everything what he done about that goal was extreme quality.”
Merino moved into space towards the edge of the box and finished first time on the turn, sweeping Myles Lewis-Skelly’s pass into the bottom corner far from Thibaut Courtois’ reach.
Nothing will be, or should be, taken away from Rice’s double, but as Wright explained, the remarkable thing about Merino’s goal is the fact that the player is not a striker, nor a natural goalscorer.
Merino’s record since becoming a striker
Arteta needed a striker, and the manager saw the vision before the player himself did.
The decision to start Merino as a number nine was revealed moments before the Leicester City game, with the coaching staff acting calculatedly to avoid causing the summer signing to overthink.
While a new striker will surely arrive in the summer, Merino has certainly done enough to prove he’s up to the task, scoring six goals in ten appearances as Arsenal’s target man.
Against Real Madrid, the Euro 2024 winner didn’t just score, but he put his name on the scoresheet in style, moving instinctively to finish first time on the turn.
Merino got Wright’s seal of approval, netting a crucial third against Real Madrid ahead of the decisive second leg.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
