Arsenal ratings as Nwaneri shines again and Merino steps up in crisis. Merino nets magical brace as Arsenal close gap on LiverpoolArsenal ratings as Nwaneri shines again and Merino steps up in crisis. Merino nets magical brace as Arsenal close gap on Liverpool…

Arsenal ratings as Nwaneri impresses again and Merino rises to the occasion in crisis. Mikel Merino scores a stunning brace as Arsenal narrows the gap on Liverpool.

Arsenal reduced the deficit to Premier League leaders Liverpool to four points following their victory over Leicester.

Mikel Merino emerged as Arsenal’s standout player, coming off the bench to fill in as an emergency striker and netting two goals in the last 10 minutes.

With four first-team forwards sidelined due to injuries, Arsenal had difficulty creating chances earlier in the match, although Ethan Nwaneri did strike the woodwork twice.

Nevertheless, the Gunners secured the crucial win as Merino found the net twice in the closing moments.

Simon Collings was present at King Power Stadium to witness Arsenal’s performance.

David Raya 6

Had a relatively uneventful day as Arsenal controlled possession. His distribution was reliable.

Jurrien Timber 7

Linked up effectively with Nwaneri and advanced when possible. Delivered an excellent cross that Merino narrowly missed.

William Saliba 6

Handled Jamie Vardy well and had a largely straightforward afternoon.

Gabriel 6

Had minimal defensive responsibilities and was not able to contribute significantly on set-pieces.

Myles Lewis-Skelly 7

Made a crucial interception when Bobby De Cordova-Reid appeared poised to score. Another solid outing for the young player.

Martin Odegaard 6

Generated a few opportunities with clever lofted passes but was not as impactful as Arsenal requires at this moment.

Thomas Partey 5

Struggled with ball control and was nearly punished in the second half, but Lewis-Skelly intervened to thwart De Cordova-Reid.

Declan Rice 7

Granted more freedom to advance and came close with a header early in the match. Sought to inject energy into Arsenal’s midfield.

Ethan Nwaneri 8

The standout performer for Arsenal. Came close with a shot that skimmed the crossbar and hit the post with another. Assisted the winning goal with a superb cross.

Leandro Trossard 7

Assigned to lead the attack in the absence of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. Shifted to a wider position after Merino’s introduction and improved, contributing to the second goal.

Raheem Sterling 4

The winger delivered a disappointing performance, failing to make a significant impact on the match. He appears to be lacking confidence at this moment.

Substitutions

Mikel Merino (Sterling 69’) 8 | Outstanding player

Arsenal’s savior. Introduced into the attack due to the team’s injury woes and managed to score twice after coming off the bench.

Jorginho (Partey 75’) N/A

Riccardo Calafiori (Lewis-Skelly 76’) N/A

Kieran Tierney (Trossard 89’) N/A

Unused substitutes: Neto, Kiwior, Zinchenko, White, Butler-Oyedeji.