Leicester City 0 2 Arsenal Match Report

Mikel Merino came off the bench as an emergency centre forward, and scored both goals to earn a valuable win in the Midlands.

With both Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz added to our injury list since our last game, Mikel Arteta’s striking options were limited when he turned to his bench with the game goalless with 20 minutes remaining.

Merino was sent on in an unfamiliar striker’s role, and he superbly headed in Ethan Nwaneri’s cross to break the deadlock with ten minutes remaining.

He then scored at the far post from Leandro Trossard’s low centre to wrap up victory on what had looked to be turning into a frustrating afternoon in Leicester.

Flat first-half

Back in action for the first time since our Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Newcastle 10 days ago, we looked to set about our hosts early on.

Good work from Nwaneri in the midfield created an opening on the left, but Myles Lewis-Skelly’s cross had too much on it.

The first shot on target came from the hosts. Declan Rice headed a left-wing cross clear, only for it to fall straight to Wilfred Ndidi on the end of the box. He caught his first time shot sweetly, but David Raya was safely behind it.

Rice should have done better at the other end when set up by an in-swinging cross from Nwaneri on the right. The midfielder rose well but couldn’t direct his header on goal.

But the opening half hour was otherwise very light on goalmouth action.

We turned over possession near the half-way line, releasing Raheem Sterling on the burst, he drove at the Leicester defence, and won our first corner with his deflected shot. The set piece came to nothing.

As the half drew to a close we started to push the hosts back more. Martin Odegaard had the ball taken off him at the last moment when winding up to shoot 20 yards out, before Trossard failed to make contact with the captain’s lofted pass into the area. It was our best chance of the half.

The visitors’ clearest sight of goal in the opening 45 minutes came in stoppage time. Ndidi had a free header, but thankfully the sprawling Raya saw it drop wide of the upright.

Game opens up

We needed to find new levels in the second half, and early after the restart we had a three on two attack. Rice was striding through the middle, with Sterling on the left, but his pass was just behind the winger, and the danger evaporated.

Nwaneri was the brightest spark in our attack, and on the hour mark he latched onto an Odegaard through-ball, worked it onto his left foot but curled just over from the edge of the box.

Mikel Arteta sent on Merino up front for the final 20 minutes or so, replacing Sterling, as the game became more open.

Within minutes he nearly got on the end of an inviting curling Jurrien Timber from the right, but couldn’t quite stretch enough.

We were having to take more chances, and were nearly caught out at the back, but for a wonderful intervention at the far post by Lewis-Skelly, when Jordan Ayew’s low cross flashed across goal.

Great work from Merino and Rice created the next chance for Nwaneri, who this time tried his luck with his right foot. His shot flashed post the keeper, but thumped against the top of the upright.

Merino answers the call

But then came the breakthrough. Nwaneri was again involved, swinging in his cross from the right and there was the big Spaniard, to plant his header firmly into the net. A finish worthy of any centre forward.

Less than ten minutes later, he showed it was no fluke. This time it was an unerring connection with his left boot, from Trossard’s low cross.

It was a stunning two-goal salvo from the midfielder-turned-striker, and the win took us back to within four points of the league leaders, before Liverpool’s match on Sunday.

This also made it 15 league games without defeat, our longest unbeaten run since 2011.

What’s next

There is no midweek fixture, so we return to action next Saturday at home to West Ham in the Premier League. That’s followed by a Wednesday match away to Nottingham Forest.