'I can deliver' - Eddie Nketiah sends strong message to Mikel Arteta after Arsenal lose Gabriel to Injury

WHAT HAPPENED? The London club suffered a major blow as the Brazilian striker had to undergo "a little procedure" after he "had some discomfort in his knee that caused him some issues" during the previous campaign. Jesus could not even participate in the Emirates Cup final against Monaco and is staring at "a few weeks" on the sidelines.

In the absence of the star striker, Nketiah was handed a start against Monaco and also had the armband as Martin Odegaard was kept on the bench. He proved his mettle by scoring an equaliser in the first half before the Premier League side won 5-4 on penalties.

WHAT THEY SAID: After putting in a statement performance, the 24-year-old vowed to continue his form if given the opportunity to lead the line.

Article continues below

"Obviously I believe in my abilities, I know I can contribute. The manager has a tough decision, but whenever he calls me, he knows I can deliver," he stated.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: However, Nketiah also underlined the importance of Jesus to this Arsenal team and labelled him as a "big player".

"We want [Jesus] back as soon as possible. We need him, he's a big player for us. I don't think I'm here to fill in for anyone. I'm here to play and contribute to the team," he stated.

WHAT NEXT? Nketiah is likely to be tasked with scoring the goals when Arsenal face Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 6 before taking on Nottingham Forest on August 12 in the Premier League opener.