Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hails out-of-favour Eberechi Eze’s ‘desire’

Eze has been an unused substitute in all of Arsenal’s last four Premier League matches.

TAKE IT EZE: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has hailed Eberechi Eze as “phenomenal” and claimed the England international’s desire is better than ever despite falling out of favour. Pic: AP Photo/Jon Super.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has hailed Eberechi Eze as “phenomenal” and claimed the England international’s desire is better than ever despite falling out of favour.

Eze, who arrived as a marquee signing from Crystal Palace in the summer, has been an unused substitute in all of Arsenal’s last four Premier League matches.

It is likely that he will also start Arsenal’s pivotal fixture against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday on the bench with captain Martin Odegaard in impressive form for the Gunners.

But Arteta insisted: “Eberechi has been exceptional when he has played and when he hasn’t.

“That’s a big quality that we have to recognise in our squad because then the other players can fulfil a role and everybody is happy because the team is performing and winning.

“His level of desire has gone even higher. The way he trains every day, and the way he wants to do everything that it takes to change my mind and give him more minutes.

“He has been phenomenal. That is not easy. It is easy to expect it. But with the level of players we are talking about, that is not easy. I am very confident we are going to see a great version of Ebs in the coming months.” Eze’s best moment in an Arsenal shirt so far arrived when he scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 win against Tottenham on November 23.

He has four goals in the league which is just one shy of Viktor Gyokeres. The Sweden international netted 97 times across 102 matches for his previous club Sporting Lisbon, but he heads into Arsenal’s clash against Arne Slot’s champions having failed to score from open play in his last nine appearances.

And when challenged if Gyokeres’ contribution is enough, Arteta said: “We want the goals spread, and our strikers scoring over 20 goals. That’s the idea.”