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‘It’s like Messi… there I said it’ – Pundits rave about Arsenal ace Nwaneri as Shearer dubs him ‘potential superstar’

PUNDITS have been left raving about Ethan Nwaneri after his masterclass for Arsenal against Leicester.

The 17-year-old bagged an assist as his side won 2-0 thanks to a brace from sub Mikel Merino.

Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal celebrates scoring a goal.
AP
Pundits have lined up to praise Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri[/caption]
Lionel Messi waving to fans.
AFP
One has even compared to the legendary Lionel Messi[/caption]

Nwaneri has now scored or assisted four Premier League goals before the age of 18.

That puts him in an esteemed group alongside legends Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen and Cesc Fabregas.

While during the game itself, Nwaneri controlled proceedings with four shots, six dribbles and 32 passes.

He even put in a strong defensive contribution with three successful tackles and 12 duels won.

And now, pundits are lining up to sing Nwaneri’s praises.

Perhaps the boldest comment came from Joe Cole, who compared the teenager to Lionel Messi.

Cole said on TNT Sport: “These touches he produces, in and around the box, tiny little touches.

“I don’t want to say it, but it’s like Messi. I’ve said it.

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“I don’t want to put any more pressure on his shoulders. I’m sure he’d deal with it.”

Meanwhile, Alan Shearer lauded Nwaneri’s masterclass on Match of the Day.

Joe Cole presenting for TNT Sports.
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Joe Cole reckons Nwaneri can handle the pressure[/caption]
Alan Shearer at a Champions League match.
Getty
Alan Shearer feels Nwaneri played his heart out against Leicester[/caption]

The Newcastle icon said: “17 years of age… a potential superstar. He was, without doubt, the bright spark for Arsenal.

“Even when things weren’t going for them, which were large parts of the game, he was the one that was probing, he was the one putting crosses in and having pops at goal.

“He [Nwaneri] just shifts the ball onto the left foot and he whips it in but Declan Rice can’t quite get on the end of it. 

“Again, he gets the ball and works it onto his left foot. This time he cuts inside and has a pop at goal but hits the crossbar.

“But he can and does also like to down that right-hand side. 

“If you show him too much room, if you invite him to go down there then that’s fine, he will do that as well. 

“He was the best player on the pitch today, so lively.”

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‘It breaks all rules in football, absolute madness’ – Gary Neville slams Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd tactics in Spurs clash

GARY NEVILLE had some less-than-kind words for Manchester United’s first-half performance against Tottenham.

The injury-ravaged Red Devils still managed to field a starting XI worth £448million, but were second best in the first 45 minutes in North London.

Gary Neville holding a Sky Sports microphone.
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Gary Neville savaged the ’embarrassing’ midfield plan of Man Utd[/caption]
Casemiro of Manchester United reacting during a Premier League match.
Alamy
Casemiro was paired with Bruno Fernandes in midfield against Tottenham[/caption]
Ruben Amorim, Manchester United manager, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Alamy
But Neville claimed the selection ‘broke all rules of football’[/caption]

James Maddison‘s goal was the difference maker as he reacted first to Lucas Bergvall‘s rebounded shot after Andre Onana could not push it far enough away.

Spurs had five shots to United’s eight, though the home side had three on target compared to the visitors two.

But Neville was particularly critical of the way Ruben Amorim had set up his midfield pair of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.

Speaking on co-commentary for Sky Sports, he blasted the midfield plan as “embarrassing”.

He explained: “The distance between the two central midfield players, see where Casemiro is and where Bruno Fernandes is, that cannot be right.

“It breaks all rules in football. Absolute madness.”

The former defender added: “United may win today and may score goals but I have to say that the structure of the team is awful.

“The gaps in that midfield between Fernandes and Casemiro.

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“That’s a tactic, they’ve been asked to do that, Bruno’s been asked to come out to this side and it isn’t right.

“Bruno Fernandes is playing right wing, the two of them in midfield are split, it’s embarrassing.

“You wouldn’t see this in Under-9s or Under-10s football.”

Despite the criticism, the Red Devils arguably should have gone in at the break level.

Alejandro Garnacho had been played into the penalty area on his favoured right foot with only the goalkeeper to beat just 11 yards out from goal.

However, the Argentine, who has not scored in the league under Amorim skied his shot miles over the bar.

It compounds a worrying stat for the 20-year-old that he has the worst big chance conversion rate of any player in the Premier League to have had at least 10 of them, with only two of his 14 scored – a rate of just 14 per cent.

Amorim named EIGHT teenagers – including seven academy stars – on his bench with 12 senior stars out of contention.

Commentary

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Stephen Maguire PUNCHES table in anger after threatening to ‘wreck the place’ in tense Welsh Open snooker final

STEPHEN Maguire could not hide his frustrations during a tense Welsh Open final.

The Scot, 43, was facing off against Mark Selby at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

Snooker player leaning over a snooker table.
Stephen Maguire can’t hid his disappointment after a poor positional shot

At 2-1 down in frames, Maguire made a costly mistake that cost him the frame against The Jester from Leicester.

On Fire was losing the frame 30-24, when he played a poor positional shot that left him in a sticky situation.

After analysing the situation, he was forced to play for safety instead of going for a pot.

But, before he played his shot, Maguire banged the top of the table as he rued his bad effort.

To make matters worse, he left the door open for Selby who went on to clear the table with a break of 78.

Maguire is back in a ranking final after a five year wait.

After beating Ali Carter in the semi-final, he admitted he could struggle to keep his emotions in check if the final against Selby begins to slip away from him.

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“Who knows what to expect,” he told the BBC.

“In hindsight Mark has probably played better than me all week, I’ve been scraping my way through just winning matches somehow.

“I’m just hoping that I can find some form somehow and play the way that I should. Right now I’m not thinking about the rankings, I just want that title.

“I don’t think either of us played that well, but I just thought that I wasn’t going to win that with the way things were going. I couldn’t quite finish it off and when I did, little things were happening. I’m just glad I got over the line.

“I found it easy to keep my composure because I was playing him (Carter). He was cracking up, the rest was getting thrown about, extensions were getting thrown about. I thought, is that the way I act? I think I better change if that’s the way that I act.”

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