Rio Ferdinand hails Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah as a vital part of title challenge
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has praised Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah, insisting the 24-year-old is capable of being a vital part of the Gunner’s Premier League title challenge this season. Nketiah was handed a surprise start by Mikel Arteta on Saturday as the Gunners got their campaign underway with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
Nketiah showed flashes of his potential last season when he deputised for the injured Gabriel Jesus, but started last weekend’s Community Shield win over Manchester City on the bench with summer signing Kai Havertz given the nod. The Hale End Academy graduate seized the opportunity to impress on Saturday, scoring his side’s first goal of the season with a deflected shot after some impressive skill from Gabriel Martinelli created an opportunity.
And Ferdinand believes Nketiah, often underappreciated given the stellar talents around him, will continue to be an important part of a squad looking to go one better than last term.
Rio Ferdinand: Eddie Nketiah Can Score Goals
Ferdinand told TNT Sports: ‘He would have seen people saying is he the right guy, can he show the responsibility if Jesus isn’t fit, is he someone who can score the goals to get them to win the league and help them become a successful team? He answers people. This kid knows how to score goals he’s done it all his career. I don’t know him personally but I know people around him and he’s worked on himself physically.
‘He is diligent behind the scenes, got a great work ethic. Whatever you think of him he knows how to put the ball in the back of the net. He can finish. Man City won the league with someone who scored 51 goals from the centre forward position. Arsenal don’t have that guy to do that but they have the potential to do it through a cluster of players. He’s very valuable. He showed last year when Jesus got injured, for a period of time he didn’t go unnoticed.’
Arsenal Title Challenge
Arsenal are looking to go one better than last season and mount a serious title challenge this year, and if they are to do so, they will need Eddie Nketiah to step up and be an important part of the team. Nketiah has already shown his ability to score goals, and if he can continue to do so, then Arsenal could well be in with a chance of winning the title.
Nketiah has all the attributes needed to be a top striker, and if he can continue to work hard and develop his game, then he could be a key player for Arsenal this season. With his ability to score goals and his work ethic, Nketiah could be a vital part of Arsenal’s title challenge.
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