Why Nicolas Pepe’s Arsenal performances are so important

Mikel Arteta rang the changes against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with only two players keeping their place in the Arsenal team from the recent win over Leeds.

The headlines were stolen by Eddie Nketiah, whose three-goal haul was his first at senior club level and provided a timely reminder of his superb quality inside the penalty box. Whether it’s a tap-in or some other form of improvised one-touch finish, he excels in that area.

Charlie Patino did his best to hog the limelight on a magical evening for the 18-year-old who marked his first senior appearance for the club with a debut goal in injury time to wrap up a 5-1 scoreline.

However, Nicolas Pepe was not to be forgotten as Arsenal booked their place in the last four.

Nicolas Pepe’s Arsenal performance against Sunderland is so important for the club as his future transfer sale is one that is best for all parties

The Ivorian made his first start in all competitions since the previous round of the Carabao Cup at the end of October, and he marked the occasion with a goal and two assists, one of which showed delightful skill on the edge of the box as he nutmegged Tom Flanagan ahead of teeing up Nketiah.

"“Nico has not been happy and asking for more minutes,” Arteta said of Pepe. “This is the attitude we want from our players.”"

It’s the attitude, and the kind of performance, that everyone should want. Primarily because Arsenal need to garner as much interest as they can so the 26-year-old can be moved on.

As impressive as he was for large spells of the game, Pepe clocking up the goal contributions even against League One opposition is what the club needs if they are to successfully move him on. Love him or loathe him, it’s evident that this team is not made for him, nor is he made for it, and if he can be extracting as much from his rare outings as he is it boosts the chances of any potential future sale.

It’s going to be so hard to. Every little helps.

No buying club is going to be bowled over by what he does against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup, but when those are the only minutes he’s getting it’s vital that he makes the most of them.

Were a club to come in with an offer in January then it might be tough for Arsenal to turn it down, even if wide areas aren’t exactly bursting with options for the remainder of the campaign. Reiss Nelson is away at Feyenoord and Nketiah isn’t a certified wide player, meaning the minutes are currently being shared around for Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.

In reality, Pepe is going to be needed between now and the end of the season even if January will see him away at AFCON. Injuries happen and rotation is essential even without European football, so whether it is in January or the summer – the latter is preferable – him getting goals and assists can only be beneficial.

Best of all, if he can have a storming AFCON it’ll do the world of good for the club’s chances of making some return on him in the summer. The feeling will be mutual too, no 26-year-old player will be content with 12 minutes of football in ten Premier League outings.