“I never saw this coming…” Mikel Arteta handed Arsenal selection dilemma as £45m Bukayo Saka alternative makes return following alleged injury to Arsenal star boy

Mikel Arteta handed Arsenal selection dilemma as £45m Bukayo Saka alternative makes return following alleged injury to Arsenal star boy

Mikel Arteta handed Arsenal selection dilemma as £45m Bukayo Saka alternative makes return
The Gunners boss has a big decision to make in his starting XI for this weekend’s trip to Goodison Park in the Premier League

Eddie Nketiah celebrates scoring the 2nd Arsenal goal with (R) Gabriel Jesus, (L) Bukayo Saka and (2ndR) Nuno Tavares during a pre season friendly between Orlando City SC and Arsenal at Exploria Stadium on July 20, 2022 in Orlando, Florida.

Gabriel Jesus could replace either Bukayo Saka or Eddie Nketiah in the starting line up for Sunday’s trip to Everton. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
As Arsenal travel up to Everton on Sunday, the circumstances are eerily similar to last season.

The Gunners are among the early frontrunners for the Premier League title having started the season well, just as they did last time out. Everton meanwhile are on another winless run that has seen them mired in a relegation battle, just as they were last time out. The game even comes after a last minute Arsenal victory over Manchester United, just as it did last time out.

Another similarity is that the fixture comes amid a run in the side for Eddie Nketiah. When the two sides met in February, Nketiah had started five matches in a row, scoring three times. This time around he has started three of Arsenal’s four opening Premier League games, scoring twice in the process. However, a key difference from when the Gunners last travelled to Goodison Park is that Gabriel Jesus is now available.

The Brazilian was not deemed fit enough to start against United after knee surgery, but still came off the bench to seal a dramatic 3-1 victory for Arsenal. There is an argument that even if he had been fit, he wouldn’t have been in the starting line up, such has been Nketiah’s impressive start to the campaign.

Mikel Arteta has frequently used post-match press conferences as a chance to gush over the 24-year-old whose performances in training are understood to have been sublime. This form has seen Nketiah rewarded with a first England call up, but that may still not be enough to guarantee the Hale Ender a start on Sunday.

Arteta has insisted that he is not concerned by the increasingly difficult decision he faces over who to start up top. “No, I don’t see it that way,” he told football.london when asked if Nketiah’s international call up would make team selection harder. “I just see pride there and it’s something that has happened for a reason, the way he pushes everybody, the way he pushes himself every single day to be as best as he possibly can, and that’s the headache he gives us every single day. I said it when we played against Man City that he did it, I’m sure he’s done it with everyone he’s been with, under-18s, under-19s, under-21s, under-23s, he’s going to be doing the same with every team.”

The reality is that Jesus is probably still favourite to come back in. It was in last season’s game at Goodison Park where his absence was arguably most keenly felt as Arsenal looked rigid up front. The Brazilian is superb at dragging defenders out of position with his unpredictable movement. Nketiah meanwhile is someone who tends to operate more between the goalposts. This was firmly on show during to 1-0 defeat to Everton in February.

Eddie Nketiah’s heatmap from Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Everton at Goodison Park (image from Wyscout)
Everton’s defence were able to stay in position and mark Nketiah relatively easily as a result. This may well just swing it in Jesus’ favour when it comes to team selection due to the chaos factor that he provides up front. Throw in the fact that the Brazilian has scored against the Toffees more than any other opponent (eight times), and it seems that bringing him back is probably the right call this time.

Of course there is the option to bring Jesus in on the right wing to replace Bukayo Saka who is understood to be nursing a sore Achilles. Given that the 22-year-old played in both of England’s games across the international break though, it seems likely that he’s going to start. However, as Arsenal prepare for a season in which they will have to compete at a high level across multiple competitions, Arteta will be delighted at having two top quality centre forward options at his disposal.