Arsenal’s Mikel Merino once again delivered when called upon to fill an unfamiliar role, scoring twice in a 3-0 Champions League victory away to Slavia Prague. With Viktor Gyokeres sidelined by a muscle injury that has given manager Mikel Arteta “concern,” the Spaniard was pushed into a forward role — a position he has made his own in recent months.
Merino, 29, has evolved into a dependable stand-in up front since his first spell there in February, when he struck twice in a Premier League win at Leicester after injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus left the team short of options.
Since that moment, he has become a reliable source of goals, delivering key strikes against Chelsea, Fulham, and Real Madrid last season, ending the campaign with nine goals in all competitions. This term, he has already netted three times, including one at former club Newcastle in late September.
Arteta praised his midfielder’s adaptability and attitude after Tuesday’s win, saying: “It’s a joy to have him. His mindset, leadership, and personality are exceptional. We’re missing many attacking players, so finding different solutions is crucial. He steps in and scores two goals in the Champions League.”
Adapting to a new role
Arsenal invested £64 million in the summer to sign Gyokeres as their main striker, aiming to finally bring silverware back to the club. The Swedish forward started strongly, scoring six times in 14 games, but with Havertz’s long-term knee issue and Gyokeres’ latest setback, Merino’s importance has grown rapidly.
Against Slavia Prague, after Bukayo Saka’s first-half penalty opened the scoring, Merino finished a Leandro Trossard cross early in the second half before heading in Declan Rice’s delivery to complete the victory. His sharp movement and timing inside the box stood out once again.
Arteta highlighted those traits as reasons for Merino’s success. “He has great timing and can finish first time in the box. We’ve worked with him to play closer to the goal, to read the space and attack it properly. He’s still learning, but he has the quality and work ethic to improve every day.”
Arsenal’s injury challenge
Despite spending more than £250 million on eight new signings to deepen the squad, Arsenal’s injury list continues to test Arteta’s tactical flexibility. With Havertz, Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, and captain Martin Odegaard all unavailable, the manager has been forced to improvise.
“You have to invent options,” Arteta admitted. “You can always find solutions if you’re creative. Mikel hasn’t played there before, but we’ve seen how he reacts and performs. Based on how the opposition played, we knew it was a good setup for him today.”
Merino’s response has embodied Arsenal’s resilience. A Euro 2024 winner with Spain, he underlined the collective mindset within the squad: “This team doesn’t care who’s missing. The same mentality, the same fire. I’m not a natural striker, but I’ll do my best to fill the role and help the team with goals.”
