Arsenal will be without Gabriel Jesus for their return to Premier League football against West Ham on Boxing Day. The Brazilian suffered a knee injury at the World Cup with Brazil and after undergoing surgery looks set to be absent until February at the earliest.
Eddie Nketiah looks set to come straight into the Gunners team and make his first Premier League start of the season against West Ham. The 23-year-old has made appearances in the Europa League and EFL Cup scoring three goals from seven appearances.
Arteta deployed Nketiah at the tip of the Arsenal attack for the final few games of last season where he scored five goals from seven appearances and his manager has backed him to do the same with Jesus out through injury.
READ MORE: Jesus, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, Smith Rowe - Arsenal injury news and return dates ahead of West Ham
“We have more faith in Eddie every single day,” said Arteta. “We see every day what he brings to the team, what he is as a human being and the way he is developing as a player. We got a great response last year when we needed him and he did really well for the team.”
“He is ready. That is why he signed his contract. He is a key player in our squad and he is going to have chances to play,” he added.
Arsenal legend Paul Merson is on the opposite end of the Nketiah spectrum though casting doubt on his ability to fill the void left by Jesus, with a rather damning claim on his abilities.
Merson wrote in his Daily Star column: "I try not to read too much into friendlies but it's a massive worry for Arsenal that they're now relying on out-of-form Eddie Nketiah when the Premier League returns.
"They could go eight points clear if they beat West Ham before Manchester City play a game and you still wouldn't fancy them to win the title without Gabriel Jesus.
"Without being horrible, what Premier League team does Eddie Nketiah get in? Wolves are bottom for instance, they're desperate for a goal and they wouldn't go and get him.
"For me, it's really worrying. This is no disrespect to Nketiah or the other players but Jesus gels everything together. He is Arsenal's very own Roberto Firmino."
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