Arsenal won 2-0 at Leicester City on Saturday as substitute Mikel Merino was the hero as the emergency striker scored twice late on.
The Gunners have now closed the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to just four points.
WATCH -– Full match replay
Teenager Ethan Nwaneri was sensational for Arsenal but they struggled to break down a stubborn Leicester side until midfielder Merino was brought off the bench late on to play in as a striker. He finished off two fine crosses from Nwaneri and Trossard to send the Arsenal fans wild as they sang the name of the Spaniard loud and proud.
MORE — Mikel Arteta reaction | Mikel Merino reaction
With the win Arsenal move on to 53 points, while Leicester remain on 17 points and in the relegation zone.
Merino can be the emergency answer for Arsenal
Mikel Merino has arrived in the box at key moments throughout this season but on a few occasions he hasn’t had the finishing touch to score. That wasn’t an issue on Saturday as he came on as an emergency striker and finished twice late on to give Arsenal a huge boost in their pursuit of hunting down Liverpool. Merino is a holding midfielder by trade but he does have a knack of arriving into the box and getting in good areas. Mikel Arteta has seen that and has come up with a very creative solution after Arsenal lost striker Kai Havertz to a season-ending injury, with Gabriel Jesus also out for the rest of the season and the duo of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli still out. If the excellent Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard focus on whipping in brilliant crosses like they did on Saturday, they know Merino will be able to finish them and time his runs to perfection. The only issue for Merino now is that teams will be prepared for him to arrive in the box more often. He may not play every game up front between now and the end of the season but in certain games and in certain situations Merino has proved he can be called upon. In a title race you need unlikely heroes and Merino was certainly that on Saturday.
Leicester vs Arsenal player ratings (via FotMob.com)
What’s next?
Leicester host Brentford on Friday, February 21. Arsenal host West Ham on Saturday, February 22.
Leicester vs Arsenal score: 0-2
Merino 81', 87'
Leicester vs Arsenal live updates! — By Joe Prince-Wright
Incredible scenes at full time!
Merino is being serenaded by the Arsenal fans! He’s loving it. That is a huge win for the Gunners, as it looked like they were going to be frustrated by a very resilient Leicester side.
Trossard tees up Merino to finish! — Leicester 0-2 Arsenal
Mikel Merino scores again! He’s jumped off the bench and finished off two crosses superbly. This time Trossard’s cross to the back post is finished off nicely by Merino as he celebrates in front of the delirious away fans. Arsenal needed an unlikely hero to solve their striker crisis and Merino has answered the call! Quite remarkable.
Merino heads home! — Leicester 0-1 Arsenal
That boy Nwaneri curls in a perfect cross to the back post and Mikel Merino times his run perfectly and heads home. What a huge goal that is for Arsenal!
Nwaneri smashes the post!
The teenager has been superb today and now he smashes the post with a great effort. Arsenal’s hopes of winning this game late on are stacked on the shoulders of young Nwaneri.
Lewis-Skelly with a brilliant clearance
Jordan Ayew surges free down the left and his cross to the back post is going to be tapped in by De Cordova Reid but Myles Lewis-Skelly makes a sensational clearance as he flicks it out for a corner while under severe pressure. Unreal defending from the teenager.
Merino on for Sterling, and he almost gets on the end of a cross
Raheem Sterling has had a really tough outing. He’s clearly rusty and struggling for confidence and he just didn’t look sharp or like he truly believed he would beat his man and get down the wing. Merino is on and playing up front with Trossard moving to the left. A cross is whipped in by Timber and Merino almost gets on the end of it at the back post.
Nwaneri’s shot clips the crossbar
Arsenal win the ball back high up the pitch and Odegaard plays in Nwaneri. The youngster takes a touch and fires just over the bar as the ball flicked off the frame of the goal. That was a brilliant effort from the teenager. What a talent he is. Arsenal so close to taking the lead.
Ndidi is thwarting Arsenal at the moment
Arsenal have opened Leicester up a few times early in the second half but Ndidi keeps popping up to make timely tackles. Declan Rice is causing the Foxes problems with his runs from midfield. Much better intensity from the Gunners.
Half time — Leicester 0-0 Arsenal
Well, that was pretty dull from the Gunners who have had one shot on goal. Nwaneri has looked bright but aside from that Leicester have dealt very easily with Arsenal’s midfield and attack and have looked dangerous themselves with Ndidi going close twice. Very tight game.
Ndidi heads just wide!
Brilliant sustained pressure from Leicester just before the break and a cross is whipped in and Wilfred Ndidi arrives. He climbs high but glances his header wide of the far post.
Justin off injured with Coulibaly on
James Justin tried to carry on but he’s gone down a few times now and he’s had to come off. New signing Coulibaly is on for his home debut at right back. Can he keep Sterling quiet?
Flat as a pancake
Well, there’s no sugar coating it. This game has been very flat. Leicester are loving it. They’ve hardly been tested defensively with Sterling caught offside a bunch. Arsenal look very clunky.
Rice heads wide
Lovely cross from Nwaneri, who is really pulling the strings now, and Declan Rice arrives into the box but he heads wide. Rice has been arriving time and time again from midfield into the box. It looked like that header took a flick off a defender and should’ve been a corner.
Ndidi denied by Raya
Leicester again break down their left and cross and Ndidi arrives but his volley is straight at David Raya who saves comfortably. The home fans enjoyed that!
Gunners getting into their groove
Arsenal are finding their rhythm now and Nwaneri is popping up in some dangerous areas. Odegaard lofts a ball towards Trossard in the box but he’s offside and his tame effort is saved by Hermansen.
Bright start from the hosts
It’s mostly been Leicester with the ball so far, as the Foxes are knocking it about and looking to get down their left flank early.
Arsenal line up with Trossard up top
As expected, Leandro Trossard is playing up front centrally. Youngster Ethan Nwaneri is on the right and Raheem Sterling is on the left. Those three attackers are the only forwards Arsenal have left. Mikel Arteta will be eager for them to click as a trio quickly with Saka and Martinelli still a little way from returning.
Leicester lineup
Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Okoli, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Soumare; Ayew, El Khannouss, De Cordova Reid; Vardy
Arsenal lineup
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling
Leicester City team news, focus
OUT: Ricardo Pereira (thigh), Abdul Fatawu (knee - out for season)
Arsenal team news, focus
OUT: Kai Havertz (hamstring - MORE), Gabriel Jesus (knee), Bukayo Saka (hamstring - MORE), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Gabriel Martinelli (hamstring)
Leicester City vs Arsenal prediction
The Foxes will be geared up for this fight, which comes after Arsenal traveled abroad for a training camp between their League Cup exit and this match. The attacking absences really add up with Havertz joining Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus on the shelf, but Martin Odegaard should still be able to set up enough chances. Leicester City 1-2 Arsenal.
Leicester City vs Arsenal preview
The Gunners are unbeaten in 14 league matches but dipped out of the League Cup last week before embarking on a Middle East training camp that included a reported season-ending injury to star striker Kai Havertz.
Leicester can climb out of the bottom three with a home win, which would be their first in the Premier League in six tries dating back to a December 3 defeat of West Ham United.
A win over Tottenham Hotspur in Week 23 accounts for their only points in their last nine outings, but the Premier League table has kept them within reach of safety.
How to watch Leicester vs Arsenal live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 7:30am ET Saturday (February 15)
Venue: King Power Stadium — Leicester
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live online via NBC.com
