Eberechi Eze staked a big claim for Arsenal’s No 10 role after scoring his first goal for the Gunners in their routine win over Port Vale on Wednesday night.
The 27-year-old, signed from Crystal Palace in the summer, finally got his chance in his natural central attacking role and he didn’t waste it. Floating between the lines, pressing defenders, and linking play, Eze was everywhere in a dominant Arsenal first half.
His goal summed it up: a slick team move with Myles Lewis-Skelly flicking a Gabriel Martinelli cross into his path for a cool finish. Beyond the strike, he bossed the midfield, pulling off skillful touches and testing Port Vale’s defence all night.
It was a performance that left many asking whether Mikel Arteta should keep him central in the coming weeks, especially with Martin Odegaard returning from injury and Merino also in the mix. Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has already argued that Eze, not Merino, should have started centrally against Manchester City.
Arteta admitted Eze still has work to do but praised his display: “He played very sensibly, was very capable. He needs to play more times with those guys to understand the timings and actions so he will be more consistent and successful with us.”
Arsenal fans will see whether the manager sticks with him when the Gunners travel to Newcastle on Sunday. But for now, the man wearing No 10 has given his coach a real headache.
