Arteta Delighted with Nwaneri's Confidence and Creativity on the Pitch

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praises Ethan Nwaneri's confidence and creativity after the 17-year-old's impressive display at Leicester City.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his delight with the confidence displayed by 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri following their win at Leicester City on Saturday. Nwaneri impressed Arteta with his performance, showcasing his skills every time he was in possession.

Arteta praised Nwaneri's confidence, stating, ”Well, what he's showing basically, that's him. Obviously, his age is always something that puts a question mark on how we have to deal with him.” However, Arteta emphasized that Nwaneri's performances have consistently indicated that he is ready for the challenge. “But every sign that he's given us is 'Let me go for it, let me go, let me go, let me go.' When a player is giving you all those signs, you should not stop it.”

Arteta encouraged Nwaneri to continue playing with freedom and creativity, saying, “You have to play with that freedom, with that creativity, with that confidence that he's playing at the minute, and the players around him believe in him.” Arteta concluded by expressing his belief in Nwaneri's potential, stating, “So let him go because he's a massive threat, massive talent and he deserves to play.”

Pulling the strings.

The Premier League Player of the Match: Ethan Nwaneri 👏 pic.twitter.com/H9GtraBhCo

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 15, 2025

The manager praised the player's performance, highlighting his ability to make things happen on the ball. “I think he was one of the few in the first half as well that every time he was on the ball he made things happen,” he said. The manager noted that the player's level of threat was higher than the rest of the team, and he continued to impress in the second half. “You could see that he had another level of threat than the rest of the team and he continued with that in the second half with two great actions and after that he put the ball on the plate for Mikel (Merino) to score the header.”