Is this the start of Reiss Nelson’s Arsenal resurgence?

837 days ago. 15th July 2020. Reiss Nelson’s last Premier League goal. 30th October 2022. He manages two in three minutes. The winger said he expected another day of bench-warming but “you never know what happens in football”.

The flawless performance from the league leaders against Nottingham Forest on Sunday saw a surprise star steal the headlines: 22-year-old, Reiss Nelson. Many forget but Mikel Arteta named Reiss in his first-ever starting XI for Arsenal, ahead of the £72m record signing Nicolas Pepe.

The manager saw something from the academy star back then and has always praised him highly: “I wouldn’t like to compare [him to Sterling] but Reiss has the potential to do whatever he wants”, Arteta said at the start of his tenure.

Reiss Nelson: The forgotten man’s revelation?

Nelson has repeatedly received praise from coaches and players associated with him and, in fact, it was the winger that was seen as the next star to come out of Hale End. Not Bukayo Saka nor Emile Smith Rowe, but Nelson.

“I think he can be something special,” said Martin Keown back in 2017 during his first team debut season, having been with the club since he was 8. There have always been whispers about his potential but over the last couple of years, those whispers turned into silence while other academy players thrived and had everyone talking.

The winger spent last season on loan at Feyenoord where he scored four goals and added seven assists which is a healthy return as it was his first season playing regular first-team football. He also had a spell over in Germany with Hoffenheim under current Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann. He earned a ‘Rookie of the Month’ award but even though Nagelsmann had high praise for Nelson, he demanded more as “it’s about delivering good performances over a period of time, being the best over 15 years”.

Well, he has time on his side.

After the full-time whistle last weekend, Steve Cooper, who coached Nelson while he was playing for England’s Under-17s, gave him a warm embrace. A hug of appreciation and there was plenty of praise for his former pupil in his post-match conference: “He was a standout player with the Under-17s. It’s good to see him well… I just wish it wasn’t today!”. Fortunately for Arsenal, it was. There was anxiety roaming through the Emirates after Saka was pulled off, yet Nelson showed he is more than capable enough to do the job.

Arteta was delighted by Nelson’s cameo, and he alluded to it being a performance that was on the cards for a very long time, and one in which all the staff and players knew he was capable of producing: “He is a kid that’s evolving, that’s maturing and showing every day how much he wants it”.

Arteta has a distinct way of talking about a player who may not be starting every week but shows on the training ground why they’re still at the club. It’s reminiscent of the way he spoke about Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah last season, with a common theme being how they all train extremely hard. The boss wants to challenge everyone to gain a starting spot.

If there is any apprehension from Arsenal fans over the contract situation, Nelson is clear in his message in his recent interview with the Evening Standard: “I have a very, very strong bond and love for this club.” He wants to prove himself at Arsenal and there’s always something sweet seeing a player from the academy make it into the first team.

Let’s not forget the once high hope of Hale End. As he said himself: “You never know what happens in football.” Was Sunday the start of Reiss Nelson’s Arsenal redemption?