Jermaine Pennant has urged Mikel Arteta to deploy Ethan Nwaneri in a central role to try and reignite Arsenal ’s attacking thrust. Dropped points against West Ham and Nottingham Forest have seen the wheels come off the Gunners’ Premier League title charge, with Arsenal now trailing runaway leaders Liverpool by 13 points.

Arsenal take on Dutch side PSV in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday evening and Paul Merson has made a request over the team that Mikel Arteta selects

Mikel Merino will play as the centre-forward. Mikel Merino is a versatile, strong makeshift centre forward with excellent hold-up play, aerial ability, vision, and intelligent link-up skills.

A string of injuries to attacking players has led Mikel Merino playing as a striker recently but Merson ‘can’t get his head around’ that tactic and wants Raheem Sterling to start instead of Arsenal’s £32m midfielder.

Merino shone in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory at the King Power Stadium, scoring both goals after coming off the bench with just over 20 minutes to go. The dilemma for Mikel Arteta now is whether he starts Merino up front for this weekend’s clash with West Ham, or continues to use him as an impact player from the bench.

Mikel Arteta needs to make room for Raheem Sterling to start when Arsenal face PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League first leg.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta refused to rule out using Mikel Merino once again as a centre-forward following the Spaniard’s heroics last weekend against Leicester City. Injuries to several key

Arteta has also claimed that Nathan Butler-Oyedeji can play as a number nine. He has been on the Arsenal bench in their last two games.

Mikel Arteta has insisted that Arsenal still have "gears to take the game to a different level" despite their injury crisis.

Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal players to make a “strong step” when they take on PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. Arsenal are coming into the match on Tuesday off the back of failing to score in either of their past two games as their injury crisis in attack takes its toll.