Arsenal weren’t at their best, but secured a 1-0 victory away at Crystal Palace after going down to 10 men, and one player arguably stood out above the rest.
There were a number of impressive performers, with Thomas Partey and William Saliba helping solidify the defence, whilst Declan Rice was given the player of the match award following an excellent display in the middle.
However, Eddie Nketiah was arguably the best of the lot. Whilst he did miss a big chance in the first half, sending a chipped effort over the bar from close range, the 24-year-old’s all-round performance was outstanding, and he may not get the credit he deserves.
He was described as “brilliant” last season, but is still massively underrated as an important member of the Arsenal squad.
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Starting his second game in a row upfront, with Gabriel Jesus out injured, the forward’s movement and ability on the ball made him Arsenal’s most effective attacker for long periods of the game.
Constant threat
Nketiah almost opened the scoring after an excellent dribble saw him find space in the box, before hitting the post with a left-footed strike.
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His dribbling and passing in build-up were reminiscent of what Jesus brings to the side, and it seems that the Englishman has added yet another dimension to his game.
His miss saw him again pick up the ball in a dangerous area from a pass by Declan Rice, before selecting a chipped shot correctly to try and beat Sam Johnstone, but put too much weight on the effort.
Whilst it was indeed a poor miss, it was one that should not distract from the rest of his display, and it was again his clever movement which led to Arsenal winning a penalty in the second half.
A sudden inside run during an indirect free kick saw Nketiah receive the ball in space by pure quick thinking and clever movement and drew a foul from Johnstone which led to the only goal in the game.
As per SofaScore, Nketiah completed 100% of his dribbles, made two key passes and won five duels. Despite not finding the back of the net, this was an almost complete centre-forward performance, and it was this impact upfront which ultimately helped Arsenal win the match.