What was catalyst for Mikel Merino's Arsenal brace vs. Leicester?

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino was happy with his two-goal performance against Leicester City.

Arsenal's first game without a recognized striker went horribly for the first 80 minutes against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium with the Gunners not able to break through.

Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard didn't look up to the task, so manager Mikel Arteta looked to his bench and Mikel Merino as a possible solution.

Sterling made way, and the Gunners had Merino leading the line, which, even now, is an odd sentence to write, but we can't argue with the results.

In six swift minutes, Merino got on the end of a delicious cross from Ethan Nwaneri and powerfully headed home, and then he was on the receiving end of a whipped-in cross from Trossard at the back post, and he calmly slotted home to give the Gunners a comfortable 2-0 lead.

It was not a conventional way to win the game by any means, and for a player who has yet to find his stride in north London with up-and-down performances, Merino was happy to contribute to the team in any way he could, given he hadn't done much since arriving.

To be in those positions as we know, doesn't just happen by chance. It takes time on the training pitch to know where to be and at what time, and his brace against Leicester is proof of that and now he might be called upon by Arteta again.

It wasn't a great performance by any means, but these are crucial in games like this, and it was Arsenal and Merino who had dotted their I's and crossed their T's, and it could be there, in those details that the Gunners might be able to make something of this Premier League run in as they try and chase down leaders Liverpool.

But now with West Ham up next in the Premier League, exactly what Arteta does up front is a mystery.

Such was the poor level of Sterling's performance; some have banished the winger to the bench, and it isn't known if Arteta has a similar feeling, but given the injury list, the former Chelsea and Manchester City man will likely be needed again down the road.

But Merino is the hot hand, and it wouldn't be a shock if he's handed a start against the Hammers.

READ ALL THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS HERE!!!