Man Utd legend labels Arsenal star the biggest flop of the season; heaps praise on Tottenham signing

Arsenal duo Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka

Arsenal duo Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka

Former Manchester United and Tottenham star Teddy Sheringham has labelled Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah as the biggest flop in the Premier League this season. 

The 24-year-old has made 22 appearances in all competitions this term, but he has only started 12 of those games with Mikel Arteta preferring other players.

Nketiah has scored six goals and made one assist in those games, netting once in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.

Last season, the striker scored nine times in all competitions and was a reliable back-up option as Arsenal competed with Manchester City for the Premier League title.

The Gunners are dreaming of winning the title again this term, with Arteta’s side one point behind league leaders Liverpool.

Sheringham, however, thinks Nketiah has been very disappointing this term, and that he should be doing more to nail down a place in Arsenal’s starting XI.

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Sheringham: ‘Nketiah has been disappointing’

In a recent interview, Sheringham said:  “Eddie Nketiah at Arsenal has been disappointing this season. I think he’s got something about him, I really do.

“He is a young Ian Wright that is ready to burst onto the scene but, again, we’ve spoken about how players can be affected by criticism.

“He would have heard all the noises from the Arsenal fans talking about needing something special up front.

“He will be aware of the rumours and the stories that keep being published about the club signing a striker in January. For me, he is a natural goal scorer.

“When you don’t get your goals, it can have an effect on your confidence, which I think has happened.

“He is still a very young lad, but I think he is a natural talent, and he will come good for Arsenal.

“Similarly, to the criticism that Trent faced, Nketiah is probably in the same place as Trent was last year.

“If you’re talented and you have the right desire and the right people around you, telling you the right things, then you come back.

“At the moment he is going through a lull. He’s in a good place at Arsenal, learning from Arteta and he can watch Jesus and learn more about becoming a complete centre forward and hold-up play.

“I know that he’s got the goal-scoring ability, but maybe he needs to tighten up his all-round game.”

Sheringham heaps praise on James Maddison

On the summer signing that he has been most impressed with in the Premier League this season, Sheringham added: “James Maddison has had the biggest impact on his new club so far this season.

“He epitomises what Ange Postecoglou wants from his attacking players. I think he has joined Tottenham at a very good time for him as a player and for the club as well.

Tottenham have had a dull four years in terms of the brand of football the club has been playing. If Maddison joined the club under Mourinho or Conte, I don’t think he would have had anything like the impact that he’s had so far this season.

“Don’t get me wrong, he would have been playing with Harry Kane, so he would have done alright, but his role would have been very different because of the football that both of those managers played.

“With Ange, Maddison has a licence to create, and he operates in the top areas of the pitch where he is most effective.

“He has the freedom to move around the park and I think he has been absolutely fantastic since he joined the club.

“Ange is definitely the type of manager that will get the best out of a player like Maddison.”

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