It’s good to have him back,’ Nketiah said after the game when informed of Wenger’s presence.
Eddie Nketiah was ‘delighted’ to see Arsene Wenger make his long-awaited return to the Emirates Stadium following Arsenal’s 3-1 win over West Ham.
The former Arsenal manager hadn’t been back to his old club in over four years, but he was back in the stands on Boxing Day, much to the delight of a full stadium.
Wenger looked on as Mikel Arteta’s table-topping Arsenal fell behind to Said Benrahma’s 27th-minute penalty, but a spirited second-half comeback saw Arsenal open up a seven-point lead over Newcastle, who moved into second place earlier on Monday after a convincing win at Leicester.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Nketiah all scored goals that would have made the legendary Frenchman proud, but it was the game-winning strike from Gabriel Jesus’ deputy that would have been the most satisfying.
Wenger gave Nketiah his debut five years ago, and the striker marked the occasion with two goals in a Carabao Cup match against Norwich.
‘It’s good to have him back,’ Nketiah said after the game when informed of Wenger’s presence.
‘Obviously, he was the one who coached me and gave me my debut, so hopefully he’s happy and proud of us all.’
Given Jesus’ injury, which is expected to keep him out until March, the focus has been on Nketiah in the run-up to the match against West Ham United.
The Arsenal No.14 demonstrated his quality against the Hammers, but he insists he is not in the squad to replace the former Manchester City star.
He said: ‘There’s pressure any time you play for Arsenal Football Club. The standards are always high.
‘Gabi has done an excellent job, but I’m not here to replace him; I’m here to be my own player and strive to be the best version of myself.
‘We wish him a speedy recovery, and we need him back as soon as [possible]. It was great to get the victory.’