After the latest injury news, Mikel Arteta could be tempted to follow in Arsene Wenger’s footsteps at Arsenal.
The international break has been a time of terror so far for Arsenal, with two notable injuries occurring.
Riccardo Calafiori has returned to London due to being hurt against France, with the latest spell of bad news coming as a result of Martin Odegaard’s injury.
Arsenal’s skipper was injured during Norway’s Nations League win over Austria, seeing him hobble off to the concern of Mikel Arteta back at home.
The Spaniard has a decision to make regarding selection ahead of the North London derby, as the club wait to learn the severity of Odegaard’s ankle problem.
Several candidates could replace the playmaker in the squad to face Tottenham, with one option giving Arteta the opportunity to display his trust in Hale End.
- READ MORE: The three players who could now replace Martin Odegaard in North London Derby vs Tottenham
Mikel Arteta could consider Ethan Nwaneri against Tottenham
When it comes to central attacking midfielders in the Arsenal squad, Arteta’s options are barren aside from Ethan Nwaneri.
The 17-year-old Hale End star has the backing of Arteta, making the Premier League matchday squad for the opening three games this season.
While it would be an incredibly bold move for the boss to hand Nwaneri his full Premier League debut against Tottenham, there’s surely something for the manager to consider in terms of his positional match to Odegaard.
- READ MORE: Arsenal scout explains what ‘impresses him the most’ about Ethan Nwaneri, he’s ‘destined’ to succeed
The Englishman has something very special, reinforced by the trust that Arteta has in him, promoting him to the first team at the age of just 17.
Born in 2007, Nwaneri could be in line to feature in some capacity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which could prove to be a repeat of a successful trick founded by Arsene Wenger in 2014.
Arsene Wenger’s North London derby tactic worked for Serge Gnabry
In 2014, Wenger was preparing his side for an FA Cup tussle with Spurs at the Emirates in a North London derby knockout under the lights.
It was an occasion to behold for both clubs, with no love lost any time the two North London representatives clash.
Wenger was bold when selecting his side for the game, naming 18-year-old Serge Gnabry in the starting XI.
While the teenager had started several Premier League games prior to the FA Cup game, none represented a fixture as important as the North London derby.
Gnabry’s fearless display earned Wenger his flowers, as the German flourished when the stakes were at their peak, providing an assist and being a nuisance for the Lilywhites all evening.
The fixture ended in a 2-0 win for the hosts, with Gnabry’s impact the talk of the game, as Wenger hailed his scholar as being a ‘bright’ talent, via the Mirror.
“He had a very good game today,” Wenger explained.
“He is a very young boy but he is bright and has a good football brain. I am a strong believer in him.”
Gnabry went on to become a Champions League winner with Bayern Munich and an established Germany international, but it all started from Wenger’s trust at Arsenal.
Arteta has seen that good things can come from handing a young player a key role in a game as important as the derby, something that could inspire the Spaniard to put Nwaneri to the test against Spurs.
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