23 January 2023 , 13:42
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Joe Willock has congratulated his former Arsenal team-mate Eddie Nketiah on his match-winning display against Manchester United.
Nketiah, 23, scored a brace against United - including a last-minute winner - to give Arsenal a 3-2 victory at the Emirates on Sunday. The result leaves the Gunners five-points clear of Manchester City with a game in hand at the top of the Premier League table.
Nketiah has struggled to break in to Arsenal's starting XI in recent years and there were calls for Mikel Arteta to sign a new striker when Gabriel Jesus got injured in December, such was the lack of public faith in the Englishman. Yet he's proving his critics wrong.
Nketiah has scored four goals in his last five Premier League games and Arteta must decide whether to stick with the prolific star when Jesus returns from injury next month. Nketiah is also the club's top scorer in all competitions this term with nine goals.
Arsenal's No.14 came through the club's academy alongside Willock, 23, and were both part of the squad that won the FA Cup and Community Shield in August 2020. Willock left the Gunners to join Newcastle, initially on loan, in January 2021.
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Despite his exit, Willock remains good friends with Nketiah and was keen to celebrate his crucial brace against United. The Newcastle midfielder posted a picture of Nketiah on his Instagram story and wrote: "If only they knew half of the journey, so happy for you."
Eddie Nketiah scored Arsenal's winner on Sunday (Ian Walton/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Do you think Eddie Nketiah will keep Gabriel Jesus out of the team when the Brazilian returns from injury? Let us know in the comments below!
Willock also congratulated Nketiah by responding to the Arsenal striker's Instagram post. "Brought a little tear to my eye, so happy for you bro," wrote Willock.
Nketiah joined Arsenal from Chelsea's academy in 2015 and made his first-team debut in a Europa League match against Bate Borisov two years later. He joined Leeds on loan in August 2019 but failed to take the Championship by storm, scoring just three goals.
Nketiah was recalled by Arsenal in January 2020 and played an important role in their FA Cup success, coming off the bench in their 2-1 win against Chelsea in the final. He then started their shootout win against Liverpool in the Community Shield the same month.
Despite winning two trophies with the Gunners, Nketiah struggled for minutes during the next two seasons. His previous contract was due to expire last June and he was close to leaving the Emirates, with several top-flight clubs after his signature.
Yet Nketiah committed his future to Arsenal by signing a new long-term contract just days before becoming a free agent. He was handed the No.14 shirt by Arteta - once worn by legendary striker Thierry Henry - but has still had to silence his doubters.
"He [Nketiah] is a special kid," said Arteta after Sunday's game. "He's so loved by everybody at the football club. He's got a real Arsenal heart and that's very special. You cannot put that into numbers, but he's really, really good."