Adrian Clarke has highlighted the performance of an Arsenal star against Nottingham Forest who perhaps didn’t get the recognition he deserved for his showing.
Arsenal beat Forest in routine fashion on Saturday afternoon at the Emirates, with a brace from Martin Zubimendi and a strike from Viktor Gyokeres seeing off Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Zubimendi has been praised for his display, dictating the game from the base of midfield for the Gunners.
Meanwhile, Noni Madueke was also excellent, constantly beating his full-back throughout his 78 minutes on the pitch.
Adrian Clarke says Mikel Merino ‘showed his worth’ against Nottingham Forest
Mikel Arteta named a largely expected starting line-up against Forest.
Cristhian Mosquera replaced the injured William Saliba, Eberechi Eze came in for the struggling Gabriel Martinelli, and Madueke started in Bukayo Saka’s absence.
However, the Spanish manager threw one curveball into his team, selecting Mikel Merino over Declan Rice in midfield.
This prompted some discussion online prior to the game, but the former Real Sociedad man repaid the faith shown in him by his coach, delivering an impressive performance.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, former Arsenal player and now pundit Clarke waxed lyrical about Merino’s relentless energy against the East Midlanders.
“I do want to have a quick word on Mikel Merino, his [Zubinendi’s] midfield partner,” he said.
“I thought he had a really good game. Perhaps a bit of a surprise selection instead of Declan Rice, certainly with Athletic Club on Tuesday in mind that pick, but he was every bit as good as Rice would have been, in my opinion.
“Some amazing numbers from him as always. He’s always a machine for me. Merino, we know about his goals. He’s a good finisher; he scored loads for Spain in the break, but he covered 12.38 kilometres in this match. Easily the most of all Arsenal players.
“He made 353 intensive runs. That’s not easy in the space of 90 minutes. Again, it was a team high. He also won possession back for the team on eight different occasions, whether he was playing in central midfield or in the last 20 minutes he was playing up front, wasn’t he?
“So, yeah, he showed his worth, didn’t he? I thought it was a really smart selection from Mikel Arteta, and he repaid that faith.”
Mikel Merino should start for Arsenal against Athletic Club
Arsenal take on Athletic Club on Tuesday night in Bilbao.
Arteta will be desperate for his side to get off to a positive start in their first Champions League game of the new campaign and will therefore likely pick a strong eleven.
However, he should opt for Merino’s industry again against the Basque outfit. The Euro 2024 winner is clearly in outstanding form, and Arteta should take advantage of this.
Athletic Club aren’t the most physically dominant of sides, and thus, Merino’s physical capabilities will be very useful against them in Northern Spain.
A former Real Sociedad player, he’ll also be fired up to impress against his old team’s arch-rivals. It’s a no-brainer selection for Arteta to make.
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