Ethan Nwaneri gives off the sense that he thinks – or perhaps more likely knows – he is too good for the level of football no matter what standard he is playing at. Whether that is for the Arsenal Under-21s, England Under-19s, against League One opposition, Championship players, or a team third in the Premier League earlier this month, it doesn’t bother him.
To this extent, everyone had best get used to see Nwaneri raise his index finger in celebration. It is hardly yet a trademark but is a constant after he puts the ball in the net. Understated but authoritative, Nwaneri looks like a player who already just feels that is going to do this a lot.
If his last two months or so are anything to go by, he’s right. Since starting against Bolton in the Carabao Cup he now has four goals for Arsenal, all showing different strands of brilliance. Here, against Nottingham Forest, he sensed an opportunity.
Every appearance for him is a cameo. There is always a moment, and with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side positively disappointed and eager to leave a soaking wet north London having hardly laid a glove on Arsenal, Nwaneri had several.
He only came on with 20 minutes left but took just seconds to get things flowing. Running into what is going to become known as that space for Nwaneri, the alleys of the right half-space which stretch horizontally across the pitch, he jinked past two players, cut on to his left foot and curled an effort narrowly wide.
It was the impact and movement of a player who could smell the opportunity to score his first Premier League goal. A similar piece of skill got things going late on in the win over Leicester City earlier this season.
