‘Special’ Ethan Nwaneri has been compared to Lionel Messi after another standout performance on Tuesday night against PSV Eindhoven.
Nwaneri has emerged as a vital player for the north London club during the absence of injured star Bukayo Saka.
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Nwaneri scored Arsenal’s second goal against PSV EindhovenCredit: AFP
In a stunning breakthrough season, the talented teenager scored his eighth goal of the season against PSV.
It was another dazzling display from Nwaneri as he found the net to fire home Arsenal‘s second goal, leading Mikel Arteta‘s men into the break with a 3-1 advantage before running riot in the second half.
The Gunners went on to triumph 7-1, marking their biggest victory since October 2007, when they defeated Slavia Prague with a resounding 7-0 win in a Champions League group stage match.
Nwaneri’s dominance has ignited comparisons to the legendary Lionel Messi.
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Former Charlton and Benfica star Scott Minto compared his goal to Messi during talkSPORT’s live commentary of the match.
Minto then warned Arteta that he has something of a problem when Saka returns to full fitness.
“Mikel Arteta has, not a worry, but it is very much a positive problem,” he said. “What does he do when Saka comes back. Nwaneri is often Arsenal’s best player. Where do you put him? Is it a bit much to put him down the middle?
Host Adrian Durham then asked if he can play in the false nine position and reminded him of that Messi comparison.
“I think it’s a lot to ask from a 17-year-old,” Minto.
Minto also highlighted that Pep Guardiola taking over from Frank Rijkaard as Barcelona manager in 2008, was the only reason Messi ‘didn’t play as a false nine at 17.’
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Nwaneri has become the youngest Englishman to start a UCL knockout tie for ArsenalCredit: Getty
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At 17 Messi was playing for the Barcelona B teamCredit: AFP
“It took Pep Guardiola to come in; Frank Rijkaard knew how good he was but didn’t have let’s say the courage to say I’m going to put him in that position, and Pep did.
“But he wasn’t 17; look, Messi for me, along with Maradona, is one of the best players this planet has ever produced.
“I’m not putting Nwaneri up there; I’m just saying that particular run reminded me of Lionel Messi. He’s a super talent, honestly.”
“There aren’t many talents like this around European football or world football. So we have to be careful about how we talk about him. Mikel Arteta, I think, is one of the perfect coaches to look after him.
“But this kid is something special, and he needs to make sure that whatever goes on around him, whatever his contract is, whatever happens, he keeps this love of the game because this is what we want to see, and it’s something special.”
Nwaneri’s start against PSV marked a historic moment for the attacking midfielder, who has become the youngest Englishman to start a Champions League knockout tie for Arsenal, at just 17 years and 348 days.
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Nwaneri is following in the steps of Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham
He follows in the footsteps of Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham, both of whom started in a knockout tie before their 18th birthdays.
Foden made history as the first Englishman to do so in March 2018 when he was included in Pep Guardiola’s line-up for Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat to Swiss club Basel in the last-16 second leg.
With two Champions League goals already to his name, Nwaneri has surpassed Foden’s tally [0] during his compatriot’s first season in Europe’s premier tournament.
In another impressive statistic, Nwaneri is Arsenal’s second youngest player to feature in a Champions League knockout match.
That honour belongs to former captain Cesc Fabregas, who was 39 days younger than Nwaneri when he made his own historic appearance.
The Spaniard’s record-breaking outing occurred against Bayern Munich in March 2005.
Mikel Arteta reveals why Ethan Nwaneri is forced to use different dressing room from his Arsenal teammates
Nwaneri joined Arsenal at the tender age of eight. By 14, he was already donning the colours of their under-18 side.
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He made his Premier League debut against Brentford on September 18, 2022, becoming the youngest-ever Arsenal player and the youngest player to step onto the pitch in the top flight of English football, at just 15 years and 181 days.
Arsenal’s next Champions League challenge awaits as they are set to face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, with Los Blancos holding the edge after their 2-1 first-leg victory at the Bernabeu.
