Leicester City captain Jamie Vardy expressed his admiration for one Arsenal player after the 2-0 defeat to the Gunners. Despite the loss, Vardy said, “Throughout my career in the Premier League, I’ve never played against such a dangerously aggressive player before. He really caught us off guard today. Forget the loss, I truly admire him.”
Although he didn’t mention Raheem Sterling or Leandro Trossard, Vardy was clearly referring to Ethan Nwaneri, who made a huge impact on the game. Nwaneri set up Mikel Merino for the opening goal and played a key role in Arsenal’s late surge, helping them close the gap to just four points behind Liverpool in the title race.
**Player Ratings: Leicester 0-2 Arsenal**
**Declan Rice – 6**
Rice was solid both in possession and defensively. He was one of the few Arsenal players who contributed well, but there’s a need for him to take on more attacking duties given the absence of a recognized striker.
**Thomas Partey – 6**
Like Rice, Partey was effective in front of Arsenal’s defense, providing stability and allowing Rice more freedom to move forward.
**Martin Ødegaard – 6**
Ødegaard was decent, but Arsenal will need more from their captain, who should be aiming for more consistent performances of a higher caliber in the upcoming games. He created some chances but can undoubtedly elevate his game further.
**Ethan Nwaneri – 9**
The 17-year-old could be pivotal to Arsenal’s final 13 matches of the season. Nwaneri was a constant threat, hitting the bar with a left-footed shot and then rattling the post with a right-footed effort. His assist for Merino’s goal capped an impressive all-around performance.
**Leandro Trossard – 4**
Trossard struggled throughout the match, with Arsenal only registering one shot on target before the 60th minute. He was unable to make an impact against Leicester’s defense and showed little in the way of movement or creativity. Things only changed after Merino came on.
**Raheem Sterling – 4**
Sterling, like Trossard, was ineffective in this match. His best work used to come from wide positions, but as a loanee at Arsenal, he seemed out of sync with the team’s play. A disappointing performance for the 30-year-old.
**Substitutes:**
**Mikel Merino – 9 (on for Sterling, 69′)**
Merino was a game-changer, scoring a brace after coming off the bench. He scored with a header from Nwaneri’s cross and added a second with a tap-in from Trossard’s cross. Merino will likely be Arsenal’s first-choice striker moving forward.
**Jorginho – 6 (on for Partey, 75′)**
Jorginho played a key role in helping Arsenal control the tempo during the final stages of the match.
**Riccardo Calafiori – 6 (on for Lewis-Skelly, 76′)**
Calafiori continued the solid work left-back Lewis-Skelly had done before his substitution.
**Kieran Tierney – N/A (on for Trossard, 89′)**
Tierney didn’t have enough time on the field to be rated.
