Arsenal Manager Highlights Substitutes’ Contribution

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, in an interview with BBC Match of the Day, stated: “I think we started really well. The sense I was getting in the last 48 hours after the international break, the boys coming together and were all at it.” He further commented on the effectiveness of the players brought on from the bench, noting: “It was good to see the impact of the substitutes [Thomas Partey – goal; Ethan Nwaneri – goal; Raheem Sterling – assist]. Everyone has to feel important. It was a good afternoon.” Regarding Martin Odegaard, Arteta remarked: “It’s not a coincidence. The team flows in a different way when he is playing.” Addressing Ethan Nwaneri’s performance, the manager said: “He is the second youngest [Premier League goalscorer] in our history. That’s a story in itself. He’s brave. You see the reaction of fans and they were singing ‘he’s one of our own’. I think we have to put brick by brick and make sure the cement doesn’t get dry. Hopefully we can build a beautiful thing with him.”