Calafiori says one Arsenal player was way better than everyone else vs Leicester

Arsenal didn’t have the easiest of games against Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.

Indeed, for the first 70 minutes of the game, Arsenal looked every bit a team that was without their star players.

Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus were all absent due to injury against Leicester City, and you could very much tell.

Havertz is out for the season after tearing his hamstring this week.

Indeed, Arsenal may have won 2-0 with a brace of late goals from Mikel Merino, but they were largely disjointed in their attacking play at the King Power Stadium.

However, there was one player who managed to shine.

Ethan Nwaneri was the brightest spark for Arsenal for most of the afternoon, and speaking during his commentary on TNT Sports, Joe Cole noted just how good Nwaneri was on numerous occasions.

Ethan Nwaneri was Arsenal’s best player vs Leicester
Cole spoke about how good Nwaneri was in the game after a remarkable piece of control from a cross-field pass.

Cole noted that Nwaneri was the best player on the pitch, claiming that he’s a beautiful technical player.

“What a touch that is, Nwaneri to Odeagard, is there nothing this kid can’t do? He’s been the best player on the pitch so far,” Darren Fletcher said.

“You’re right, he’s been the best player on the pitch. He’s technically such a beautiful player. That is so difficult to do to bring the ball down like that with the outside of his boot, and he’s made it look simple,’ Cole said.

Cole again spoke about Nwaneri after he went on another exciting surge forwards.

“I actually love him, I do, his second touch there, absolutely incredible,’ Cole said.

The pundit would again hail Nwaneri later in the game.

“It’s another one off the production line for England. These number 10s we’re producing. The problem is that when Saka is back, you have to play him, Odegaard, Saka Nwaneri, you have to play them,” Cole said.

Cole wasn’t finished with his praise there either, hailing Nwaneri after he his the post with a stinging shot late on.

“Everything he does is just done with intent, purpose and quality, that is a quality strike on his weaker right foot,” Cole said.

“Nwaneri, it’s the first time I’ve watched him live for 90 minutes, and everything he’s done has been sensational.”

Ethan Nwaneri stats vs Leicester City
Cole says that Nwaneri was Arsenal’s best player vs Leicester, and he’s not wrong.

Nwaneri put in a performance that was beyond his years against the Foxes, showing absolutely no fear.

Nwaneri has been thrown in at the deep end in recent times after Arsenal’s recent injury crisis, but he’s stood up to be counted in that time.

Nwaneri has earned huge praise this season.

Indeed, Nwaneri wasn’t overwhelmed by the idea of being Arsenal’s key player vs Leicester and the stats show it.

Nwaneri made more dribbles in the game than any other player, while he also delivered more crosses than any other player.

Interestingly, Nwaneri was also one of the stat leaders on the day in terms of tackles.

Unfortunately for Nwaneri, for most of the afternoon, Arsenal didn’t have that fox-in-the-box striker to finish the chances he was trying to create, and with Havertz and Jesus out for the season, that could be a narrative that runs until the end of this campaign.

Mikel Merino score the winner from an Nwaneri assist, and this young man was the difference-maker for the Gunners on the day