Arsenal

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  1. 'Arteta has to find a way to get Nwaneri and Saka in the team together'published at 14:21 8 March

    Fara Williams, BBC Sport columnist banner
    Ethan Nwaneri celebratesImage source, Getty Images

    The quality of Ethan Nwaneri is unbelievable. With the ball, I haven't seen a player like that.

    He is so comfortable in tight areas and he has an eye for goal as well. He is young and has a lot of maturing to do, but in the absence of Bukayo Saka at the minute, he could be an option out on that right-hand side for England given his performances in recent weeks for Arsenal.

    In terms of the attacking options, it is about Thomas Tuchel getting the right balance across the forward line. Maybe, at times, Gareth Southgate did not get that right in the latter stages of tournaments.

    Saka has been the Three Lions' most consistent player - you cannot hide away from his stats in an England shirt. However, when he comes back from injury, how quickly can he find his way back to form?

    I don't think Tuchel will be shy in keeping Nwaneri in the side if he comes in and does well. He is not a manager who is shy in making big decisions - he does what is best for the team.

    Mikel Arteta has to find a place in the team for him when Saka comes back from injury. He has to play in that Arsenal team - he has proved he has the quality to perform at that level, under the kind of pressure that comes with playing for a club that size.

    At club level, Arteta has to find a way to get Nwaneri and Saka in the team together.

    I wouldn't play either of them centrally but it could be an option to play Nwaneri wide right, Saka off the left and Gabriel Martinelli through the middle when he returns.

    Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

  2. 'As a fan, a ticket increase feels really disappointing'published at 18:50 7 March

    Media caption,

    Arsenal fan Laura Kirk-Francis has been speaking on the latest episode of The Football News Show about season tickets increasing in price for next season.

    The Gunners have put up prices by between 3% and 5%, which they say is in response to rising costs, including a 40% increase in player wages over the past 12 months.

    Kirk-Francis said: "As a fan, it is really disappointing that the club identified that a ticket increase is the way to plug that shortfall.

    "It feels quite uncomfortable that we are being asked to find that extra money to fund the club."

    Watch the Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

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  3. The answerpublished at 16:51 7 March

    Bukayo Saka celebratingImage source, Getty Images

    Earlier, we asked how well you remembered Arsenal's opening Premier League game of the season. The match against Wolves ended in a 2-0 victory, with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka scoring for the Gunners.

  4. Arteta on PSV boost, Lewis-Skelly's discipline and Calafioripublished at 13:29 7 March

    Katie Stafford
    BBC Sport journalist

    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Manchester United (kick-off 16:30 GMT).

    Here are the key lines from his news conference:

    • Arteta started by reflecting on Wednesday's "great night" in the Champions League and how "the manner" in which they competed "will lift everyone."

    • On Myles Lewis-Skelly, who was substituted in the 35th minute against PSV due to being on a yellow card: "It was quite clear that there was a liability there so I didn't want to take any risks. It was down to me to manage the game. A lesson for him to learn and we will help and support him."

    • Arteta is confident Lewis-Skelly will learn quickly as he "is very intelligent and extremely demanding of himself".

    • He said "it would be an incredible experience" for youngsters Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri if they are named in England boss Thomas Tuchel's squad, but understands the competition for places.

    • Sunday's game at Old Trafford will be Arteta's 200th game in charge, which he says has "gone fast".

    • On Chido Obi-Martin, who left for United in the summer: "I wasn't too involved in that decision. When a player decides the best pathway is to leave then there's not much you can do."

    • He said Riccardo Calafiori's recent performances have continued to surprise him: "He certainly has that capacity to flow in areas that for a defender is very unusual. That is something that caught my eye. The other is that he is very chaotic, very unpredictable to play against."

    Listen to full commentary of Man Utd v Arsenal on BBC Radio 5 live at 16:30 on Sunday

    Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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  5. Man Utd v Arsenal: Did you know?published at 13:19 7 March

    Gabriel scores for Arsenal against Manchester UnitedImage source, Getty Images

    Manchester United have lost their past four Premier League games against Arsenal - their longest losing run against the Gunners in their league history.

    United, who beat Ipswich last time out, are yet to win consecutive league games this season. This is their longest wait for back-to-back league victories since 1968-69 (games 32 and 33).

  6. Today's trivia challengepublished at 08:58 7 March

    Arsenal quiz graphic

    Arsenal played Wolves in their opening Premier League game of this season - what was the final score and who found the net?

    Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT

  7. Gossip: Gunners targets unlikely to leave their clubspublished at 07:25 7 March

    Gossip graphic

    Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich, 30, looks set to stay at Bayern Munich this summer, despite interest from Arsenal and Paris St-Germain. (Sky Germany), external

    Meanwhile, Barcelona are prioritising agreeing a new contract with Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 27, after interest in him from the Gunners. (Sport - in Spanish), external

    Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

    Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

  8. Lewis-Skelly 'probably still a little bit immature' for senior England call-uppublished at 13:14 6 March

    Fara Williams, BBC Sport columnist banner
    Myles Lewis-Skelly receives a yellow cardImage source, Getty Images

    As Thomas Tuchel approaches his first England squad, I'm wondering who may make an appearance from the slightly less obvious candidates.

    In terms of discipline, Myles Lewis-Skelly is probably still a little bit immature to go to that next level as a senior international.

    I know people are crying out for him to be selected but I think he needs to mature a little bit. His discipline of late hasn't been great. In the Champions League against PSV he probably should have been sent off early on.

    I think that naivety sometimes in his defending could be an issue. He is on the front foot and Thomas Tuchel likes full-backs who can push up and be on the attack so he can fit the system, but I just think, in terms of maturing at the minute, a few more games at club level and the under-21s might be more suited to him now.

    These are important games, they are not friendlies, it's not about trying players. I think that's also an important factor.

    There does not need to be any rush to get Lewis-Skelly a senior call-up. It's more about timing with him and as he plays more games and matures more he is definitely one who will be exciting for us in the future.

    Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

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  9. 'I'd be surprised if he spends time on the bench when Saka is back'published at 09:06 6 March

    Ethan Nwaneri playing for ArsenalImage source, Getty Images

    Former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha spoke to the BBC Champions League highlights show about Arsenal's big win against PSV on Tuesday: "Mikel Arteta is someone who has always believed in his squad, he understands they've had injuries and maybe they needed an extra body to replace one or two, but he knows his team can score goals.

    "I was very impressed with them. Going out there, we had a belief that they would be coming up against a side who would make it very tough for them but in credit to Arsenal, they were very flexible in terms of how they were tactically moving around the field. Whenever the chance came for the ball to go into the box, they would always put big numbers in there.

    "Nwaneri is such a star. I'd be very surprised if he spends a lot of time on the bench when Bukayo Saka comes back. There's every chance he'll find a way to be in that team and make a big difference."

    Watch the Champions League highlights show in full

    Media caption,

    'Who needs a number nine?' - Arsenal score seven without striker

    An image detailing how to follow your Premier League team on BBC Sport: "On the app? Tap the bell icon to get news about your club sent to you. Signed in on a browser? Hit 'Follow' to stay up to date.
  10. Gossip: Gunners given Sesko boostpublished at 07:48 6 March

    Gossip graphic

    Liverpool are the latest club to show an interest in RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, although the 21-year-old Slovenia striker is believed to prefer a move to London, with Arsenal and Chelsea keen. (TBR Football), external

    Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich, 30, is not keen on joining Arsenal on a free transfer this summer with Paris St-Germain also interested. (Bild - in German), external

    Barcelona are considering a move for Newcastle's 27-year-old Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who is also of interest to Arsenal and Manchester City. (CaughtOffside), external

    Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

    Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

  11. Arsenal announce rise in ticket prices for 2025-26published at 19:56 5 March

    General view of a Premier League match at Emirates StadiumImage source, Getty Images

    Arsenal have announced season tickets and match tickets for the 2025-26 season will rise by 3-5%.

    The Gunners said supporters have the option of buying either a 19-match season ticket, covering all of the club's Premier League matches, or a 23-match ticket including four additional league phase fixtures for European competition, subject to qualification.

    The club said it will "maintain the investment in our concessions in all general admission areas of Emirates Stadium", while 1,000 free tickets will be made available to members of the local community across the season, as Arsenal In The Community celebrates its 40th anniversary.

    The Gunners' financial results showed player wages rose by 40% last season, while the club lost £17.7m last year and £238m over the past four seasons.

    In a statement, the Gunners said:, external "Following extensive engagement with our Arsenal Advisory Board and ongoing support and dialogue with members of our ticketing forum, we are offering more choice, flexibility and access to our men's first-team season tickets and match-by-match tickets from the 2025-26 season."

    It later added: "Our priority is to continue competing at the highest level in all competitions and win major trophies. This requires investment in our teams in an environment where costs continue to rise.

    "We thank our supporters for their continued support, and we thank the Arsenal Advisory Board and the ticketing forum for their feedback and collaboration on this topic in recent months."

  12. What the numbers say about Arsenal's 7-1 mauling of PSVpublished at 16:00 5 March

    Joe Bradshaw
    BBC Sport Senior Journalist

    Mikel ArtetaImage source, Getty Images

    After a month of negativity about Arsenal's toothlessness, Mikel Arteta's side duly let rip against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.

    Six scorers, only one of eight shots on target not hitting the net and a hitherto unseen ruthlessness meant it was this Arsenal team - without a striker of course - that became their first to score seven away from home in the Champions League.

    With 11 games left to try to put pressure on Liverpool in the Premier League and, perhaps more realistically, to compete for the Champions League, was Tuesday night a one-off or a sign of things to come?

    Reasons to feel confident

    One huge positive was the "changing of the narrative", as Jurrien Timber put it pre-match.

    Instead of the furore around Arsenal's failure to put the ball in the net, suddenly they looked like scoring every time they attacked. Complaints about a lack of cutting edge can be sidelined - at least until the next game.

    Indeed, in the Champions League, Arsenal have been more clinical this season. While they are averaging more shots and touches in the opposition box in the Premier League, their conversion rate is far higher in Europe.

    Graph showing Arsenal's conversion rate in Europe being 19.5% to 14.%

    In fact, three times they have had a shot-conversion rate over 30% - the same amount as they have managed in 27 league games. Always handy to have your best finishing when up against the better teams.

    Against PSV, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri once again belied his age, having the most shots for Arsenal and the joint-most touches in the box, and became the third-youngest player to score in the knockouts, behind Bojan Krkic of Barcelona and Jude Bellingham when he was at Borussia Dortmund.

    He was surpassed by captain Martin Odegaard, whose two non-penalty goals were the same as he had managed in his previous 33 games for Arsenal. Such form from him would do wonders for the Gunners' hopes of silverware.

    Then there are the returning players. The Gunners will hope Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are back in time for the quarter-finals against one of the Madrid sides, instantly adding greater firepower and threat.

    Pie chat showing Arsenal's goals by goalscorer this season - 29 currently injured to 33 currently available

    Reasons to feel uncertain

    However, it is not all good news for Arsenal. The shot-conversion rate mentioned earlier was sky high against PSV (47%). Indeed, their expected goals of 1.9 was not actually much bigger than PSV's 1.4, despite the hefty score disparity.

    Of course, putting the ball in the back of the net counts far more than an ethereal data possibility about whether a team ought to have done so - but underlying numbers do still count.

    Arsenal's conversion rate was obviously poor in the previous two league games against West Ham and Nottingham Forest, but it is eight league games since Arsenal could boast an xG over 1.45 – the same length of time they have been without Saka.

    They have also been averaging fewer shots in the past eight weeks than previously, albeit the 20 mustered against West Ham ought to have yielded something and they only had 15 against PSV with spectacular results.

    What is more, while the identity of Arsenal's goalscorers in Eindhoven was a real fillip for Arteta, is it realistic to expect converted midfielder Mikel Merino, teenager Nwaneri, Odegaard and full-backs Riccardo Calafiori and Timber to offer sustained threat?

    It is a stretch.

    Finally, as the pie chart above shows, they have actually had more goals from currently available players than those on the sidelines - but those numbers are seriously massaged by Tuesday's heavy lifting.

    This graph would have looked quite different 24 hours ago.

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  13. 'If you don't think you can win it, it's better not to come and play'published at 14:59 5 March

    Mikel Merino Image source, Getty Images

    Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino says the Gunners are in contention to win the Champions League this season.

    The Spain international moved to five goals for the season with his contribution at PSV in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

    "Whenever you start a competition like this, if you don't think you can win it, it's better not to come and play," Merino said. "It has to be the goal of every single team in this tournament and it is ours, for sure.

    "We are here to win, to win every single game. If we do what we know we can do, in the end we will be close to winning it - but we don't have to focus too much about it.

    "We have to be proud but at the same time think about the next game. It is coming real soon and we need to show the same mentality."

  14. 'Arsenal can win the Champions League' - Henrypublished at 14:29 5 March

    Thierry HenryImage source, Getty Images

    Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes his former club can win the Champions League this season.

    Despite being hampered with injuries, the Gunners beat PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday.

    "Yes, they can [win the Champions League]," he said. "I do believe that, this is why I called it.

    "I'm just saying now, show us that you can do that against a good team, with people that are coming back.

    "No disrespect to Eindhoven, I really thought it was going to be difficult, especially away from home - but they made it look easy. I think they had an outstanding game."

    With Mikel Arteta's side all but confirming their progression to the quarter-finals, Henry says the Gunners will take confidence from Tuesday's performance in the Netherlands into their last-eight match against either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.

    "We all know the Premier League is over, apart from if something crazy happens," he added.

    "This game can help them maybe to be confident in this competition and the game that you have after - Real Madrid or Atletico.

    "The path to the final can at times help or not, but if you want to win the competition you have to go through these teams."

  15. Nwaneri 'going to be key player for a long time'published at 12:31 5 March

    Alex Howell
    BBC Sport football news reporter

    Arsenal expert view banner
    Ethan NwaneriImage source, Getty Images

    Once again, Ethan Nwaneri showed why he is going to be such a crucial part of Arsenal's team for a long time.

    The 17-year-old scored his eighth goal in 28 games in all competitions in the thrashing of PSV. Not only is it impressive that this is his first proper season of senior football but he has been tasked with filling the void left by Bukayo Saka.

    The biggest compliment Nwaneri is paid by his team-mates is that they constantly look to give him the ball. Such is their faith that the youngster will create something for the team.

    The next question, once Arsenal get over their injury crisis will be how he fits in once Kai Havertz, Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are back fit and available.

    Bukayo Saka will take the right side of attack Nwaneri is currently holding once he is fit but that does not mean the teenage will be out of the picture.

    One huge positive is that Nwaneri is able to play in a number of positions both in attack and in midfield.

    Arteta has also spoken about how he has been considered as a central striker - but that may be a position he takes on once he matures. Given his lethal finishing, it is not hard to see why Nwaneri taking up that role could be such an attractive option.

    Captain Martin Odegaard occupies the right side of Arsenal's midfield but the Gunners have had a problem with their 'left number-eight' spot and have deployed Declan Rice and Mikel Merino in that position.

    Nwaneri is going to grow and develop and write his own future but the fact that there are a few places in the team he could make his own is exciting for supporters and those around the club.

  16. 'When you are that age, you don't feel any pressure'published at 12:23 5 March

    Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-SkellyImage source, Getty Images

    BBC Sport expert Chris Sutton cannot believe how well 17-year-old winger Ethan Nwaneri has adapted since breaking into the Arsenal first team.

    The youngster scored in the Gunners' 7-1 win at PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.

    "You think with young players at times they will come into the team and hit the ground running and then they'll take a dip but he looks an absolutely phenomenal player," said Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

    "He can drive the inside and can give that little step and go the outside."

    At 17 years and 348 days old, Nwaneri is the third youngest player to score in the Champions League knockout stages and his goal was assisted by fellow teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly.

    Former Tottenham winger Andros Townsend offered his take on why the duo are so dangerous for Mikel Arteta's side.

    "When you are that age, you don't really feel pressure," he said. "You have confidence and you don't think about how it is a Champions League away fixture in the knockouts.

    "You are just in the moment, and you could see with those guys, they were just in the moment and enjoying being on that stage.

    "It is amazing to see those guys perform so well."

    Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

  17. 'We've been playing like this all season' - Ricepublished at 11:05 5 March

    Alex Howell
    BBC Sport football news reporter

    Declan RiceImage source, Getty Images

    Declan Rice was one of the players singled out for his performance at PSV Eindhoven and he said the result was the reward for their hard work in recent weeks.

    In his opinion, Arsenal were "fluid" and possessed the "enthusiasm, drive and hunger" that the knockout stages demand. He had a goal disallowed for offside as well.

    "We've been playing like this all season," he said. "We feel we've been playing well as a team. Sometimes we score five, sometimes two, sometimes we don't score but [on Tuesday] we did well. It all clicked."

    Arsenal's lack of a recognised striker has been well documented, but six different players contributed to the rout.

    The emphatic win means that Arsenal can start planning for a trip to Madrid, as they are set to take on the winner of the tie between Real and Atletico, which finished 2-1 to Carlo Ancelotti's side. Next week's second leg takes place at Atletico.

    More analysis from Alex over here