Three contenders to start up front for the Gunners against Everton

Who will Mikel Arteta pick to start up front for Arsenal in their Premier League clash with Everton on Friday night?

By Adam Le Roux

They say every cloud has a silver lining, and Arsenal’s injury crisis up front may actually be a short-term blessing in the upcoming weeks in the Premier League, as Mikel Arteta is forced to shuffle the deck.

With Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both likely to miss this weekend’s visit of Everton, the Spaniard will have to turn to some of the younger members of the Arsenal squad ahead of the journey to Goodison.

Arsenal fans have been calling out for a number of the young guns to be used time and time again this season, and this could finally be the chance they get to see the academy graduates in action.

But who will he choose to lead the line under the Friday night lights at the Emirates, with a number of players in contention for a starting berth.

Is Eddie ready?

After a troubling few months at the Emirates even by his own admission, last weekend’s last-minute leveller was the perfect pick-me-up for Eddie Nketiah, who found himself alone at the back post to lash home in the seventh minute of injury time against Fulham.

You had to go all the way back to December for the 21-year-old’s last strike for the club - the opening goal in a 4-2 Europa League group stage victory over Dundalk - with the England under-21 international evidently not being part of Arteta’s plans of late.

But the best players are the ones that have the best attitude, and dig in when the going gets tough, so instead of moping around when things weren’t going his way Nketiah has worked his socks off to prove he has what it takes to cut it at the highest level.

The jury may still be out on whether he is a long-term fix at the Emirates, but his passion and desire when he is on the pitch is as much as anyone at the club at the moment, and that deserves to be rewarded.

There are still big questions over the former Leeds loanee’s final product - having netted just six times in 27 appearances this season - but his ability to stretch the Toffees with his endless endeavour surely puts him in with a shout of a first league start since these two last did battle six days before Christmas.

Maybe Martinelli?

Very much the fans' choice to get the nod at the Emirates next time out, Martinelli impressed once again last weekend, as he continues to recover from his injury woes.

If the Brazilian could tie down a consistent run of first team games without repeatedly being crocked he could be a real force to be reckoned with in the Premier League, with his technique and skill a level above when he turns it on.

At just 19 years of age Martinelli still has bags of potential, and despite only netting the once this campaign - the third goal in the 3-0 defeat of Sheffield United a fortnight ago - he still looks to be the shining light in the next generation of academy graduates.

We are still yet to see the same player that burst on the scene last season and plundered seven goals in as many games as he began life as an Arsenal first team player, but given the opportunity to bed himself back into the first team the teenager will more than likely blossom once again.

With the vision of Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe behind, Martinelli’s nonstop movement and eagerness to get on the ball will be rewarded by the creative playmakers, and his ability to take defenders out of the game can lead to more chances being created all over the field.

Give Balogun a bash?

Sometimes in life you’ve just got to take a journey into the unknown, and that’s exactly what picking Folarin Balogun would be this weekend - but why not give the young Gunner a go?

After eventually signing a new deal with the club that lasts until 2025, the striker deserves no better reward than being given his first ever taste of Premier League action.

Having netted twice in the Europa League this season, Balogun definitely knows where the goal is, while his impressive strike rate for the youth team shows he has all the abilities to make the step up to the next level.

Yes, he may never have played a minute of domestic football before, but neither had Bukayo Saka at one point, or Smith Rowe for that matter, and Arteta has proved time and time again that if you are good enough you are old enough.

With the domestic season all but petering out this is the perfect opportunity to blood some fresh faces into the starting XI and inspire Arsenal fans into thinking the future at the Emirates is bright, and at the same time inspire Balogun with a taste of what is to come if he continues to improve as he has done in recent times.

The verdict

It’s a toss-up between Nketiah and Martinelli to be named up top in the starting XI this Friday, but will Arteta be tempted to put Eddie furthest forward and Gabriel on the wing, with Smith Rowe and Saka completing an all-academy product front four?

With a lot of those players knowing each other’s games inside out after growing up through the ranks together at London Colney, it could be an absolute masterstroke from the Spaniard, with the exuberance of youth meaning there will be no lack of effort on show.

Chuck Balogun on as a second-half substitute and everyone’s a winner - except Laca and Auba of course - but in their absence it is pleasing to see there is still enough quality in the squad to give the Toffees a run for their money.

Photo Credit: Getty Images