Arsenal's Arteta reacts to Mikel Merino performance vs. Leicester - 'He's a goal threat!'

Arsenal's Mikel Merino struck twice late on to seal a 2-0 win over Leicester City, much to the delight of Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal managed a gritty 2-0 win over Leicester City at the King Power stadium thanks to a late brace from substitute Mikel Merino.

In what was an "in case of emergency, break glass" moment, Merino was sent on with 20 minutes left to try and make something happen upfront for the Gunners after Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard hadn't offered much.

But Merino made an impact. He got on the end of Ether Nwaneri's cross to powerfully head home to give the Gunners the lead, and then six minutes later, he was on hand to coolly slot home after being found by Trossard to seal the win.

All of the post-game talk has been about Merino's likeliness to former Everton star Marouane Fellaini. Like Merino, Fellaini was a midfielder turned forward, and both possess the size and skill to make life difficult for their opponents.

But despite that, Arteta doesn't see it.

"I didn’t think that to be fair [on the comparisons to Marouane Fellaini], but Mikel has got that," Arteta said via arsenal.com. "He’s a goal threat, because he can smell danger, he can anticipate the action, he’s got really good timing to arrive into certain areas and then he obviously has the capacity to execute with that part of his body. He needed the delivery, certainly had that as well and he put it into the back of the net."

Based on how Merino finished his two chances, as both were taken superbly well, we aren't sure if Arteta will deploy him up front from the start against West Ham, but there can be no denying that Mikel gave the Gunners attack something different.

With a lack of forward options, it might have to be a situation where Arsenal sticks it out with Merino, Sterling and Trossard moving forward unless the Gunners dip into the free agency market for a striker.

The win sees the Gunners put a little pressure on league leaders Liverpool who now only hold a four-point gap at the summit with a game in hand and Wolves up next.

Arsenal is in a position where any win is like gold now, and with their injury list, the longer it can stay afloat in the title race until reinforcements arrive (hello, Bukayo), the better.

And with a "goal threat" in Merino, the Gunners at least have a puncher's chance.

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