Ethan Nwaneri Earns High Praise with ‘Perfect’ Martin Odegaard Comparison Ahead of Key Arsenal Match
Arsenal are set to take on Preston in the Carabao Cup with Ethan Nwaneri likely to make an appearance, and the young star has been told he could be the perfect replacement for Martin Odegaard
Arsenal Gear Up for Carabao Cup Clash Against Preston North End, with Young Star Ethan Nwaneri Poised for Potential Start”
As Arsenal prepare to face Preston North End in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri is one of the promising young talents who may make the starting lineup at Deepdale.
Nwaneri has already made five appearances for the Gunners this season, including a Carabao Cup start in which he netted twice against Bolton—his first professional goal for the club.
Though there’s plenty of excitement around Nwaneri’s potential, Mikel Arteta is managing his development with care. Having given Nwaneri his Premier League debut at just 15 against Brentford, Arteta has balanced opportunity with patience, allowing the young midfielder to make his mark on the squad steadily.
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“Arteta Weighs Youth Options Ahead of Preston Clash as Former Star Petit Backs Nwaneri as Odegaard Stand-In”
When asked about the possibility of fielding young talents Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly in last weekend’s match against Liverpool, Mikel Arteta affirmed: “They are in contention. They always give us the option and the possibility to start. Myles came on the other night and did really well, and Ethan the same. They are first-team players; we treat and value them the same as any other player.”
Though Nwaneri ultimately played a brief five minutes against Liverpool, he now seems likely to start against Preston. Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit believes it’s the ideal moment to test Nwaneri as a replacement for captain Martin Odegaard, who is nearing recovery from an ankle injury.
“Preston is the perfect game to give minutes to Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and other young talents in the squad,” Petit told Jeffbet. “Mikel Arteta needs to rest the spine of the team.”
With injuries mounting after Liverpool and a key match against Newcastle approaching, Petit is confident Arteta will rotate heavily to keep his squad fresh.
“This is Nwaneri’s time to show he’s the backup to Martin Odegaard, of course. Arsenal’s tradition is to bring youth into the starting XI, and they need these games to make that step.”