Arsenal news: Ethan Nwaneri big twist as Mikel Arteta star singled out | Football | Sport
Ethan Nwaneri playing for Marseille against Paris Saint-Germain (Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal head to Brentford on Thursday evening looking to keep up their momentum in the Premier League title race. The Gunners secured a 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture in early December, but both goalscorers from that match are currently sidelined.
Mikel Merino found the net first that day, but a fractured foot is expected to rule him out for the remainder of the campaign. His fellow scorer Bukayo Saka is expected to return earlier after picking up an injury during the warm-up before Arsenal’s victory over Leeds in late January, though he remains some way from being match-fit.
Following the cross-London derby with Brentford, Mikel Arteta’s side face Wigan at home in the FA Cup. That precedes a double-header of away league fixtures at Wolves and Tottenham before they begin March with a home clash against Chelsea.
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Meanwhile, there has been no shortage of talking points away from the action. Here are Express Sport’s latest updates from around the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal’s plans for Ethan Nwaneri have crumbled in under a month. The England Under-21 international joined Marseille on loan with the aim of gaining top-flight experience under Roberto De Zerbi, only for the Italian boss to depart the club by mutual agreement.
“Olympique de Marseille and Roberto De Zerbi, coach of the first team, have announced the end of their collaboration by mutual agreement,” the club said in a statement. “Following discussions between all stakeholders in the club’s management-the owner, president, director of football, and coach-it was decided to make a change at the helm of the first team.
“This was a difficult collective decision, taken after careful consideration in the best interests of the club, in order to respond to the sporting challenges of the end of the season. Olympique de Marseille would like to thank Roberto De Zerbi for his dedication, commitment, professionalism, and seriousness, which were particularly evident in the team’s second-place finish in the 2024/25 season. The club wishes him all the best for the rest of his career.”
Nwaneri found the net once in three league matches under De Zerbi and also featured once in the Coupe de France. With a new boss incoming and a shock early exit from the Champions League, both the player and his parent club will be hoping for a positive outcome despite the upheaval.
Roberto De Zerbi has left Marseille. (Image: Getty Images)
Trossard singles out team-mate
Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard has highlighted colleague Christian Norgaard as someone who consistently maintains exceptional standards both on and off the field. Norgaard, who arrived from Brentford during the summer, could make only his fifth league appearance for the Gunners when they face his former club.
Norgaard has featured for fewer than 700 minutes this campaign, including a brief appearance off the bench in last week’s victory over Sunderland. Whilst he has been named in the starting lineup three times in the Champions League, he is yet to begin a league fixture, although that hasn’t prevented Trossard from heaping praise upon him.
“I would say Christian Norgaard is a good example of that,” Trossard said on The Premier League Show when questioned about which team-mates have been raising standards. “Because he always wants to set a higher standard for himself on and off the pitch, and I think he’s a very good pro.”
Manager Arteta also lauded the Danish midfielder following his inclusion in the starting line-up against Club Brugge in the Champions League last December. “Christian Norgaard is a player that probably prepares the best out of all of them, and is somebody that makes all of us better every single day,” he told TNT Sports.
“He’s willing to play in any position, any condition, whether he plays more or less minutes, his attitude is always immaculate, and that’s a really good example for all of us.”
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