Arsenal may be a striker down with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being relegated from the first team, but Eddie Neketia offered Mikel Arteta a timely reminder of his virtues as he continued to fire Sunderland's Gunners and win an EFL Cup quarter. Took a hat-trick to enter the final.
The competition has proved to be Neketia's hunting ground since his brace against Norwich more than four years ago bailed Arsene Wenger's side. He may not have consistently excelled in the Premier League but ahead of the list of busy festivities, the 22-year-old has certainly done enough to earn himself serious minutes
That match may have gone with the ball, but Niketia was hardly the only Arsenal player who would feel that his stand was extended against a Sunderland side that was prepared for better things than League One. Nicolas Pepe and 18-year-old debutant Charlie Patino also found the net on their senior debuts, while Martin Odegaard continued his rich vein in a dominant performance for the Gunners, though none without wavering.
Half an hour into the tie, they seemed to be running for the second round. Neketia, who had traditionally scored in a hunter's fashion, found himself kneeling in the rebound after Rob Holding saved a powerful header. Pepe had marked his 100th appearance for the Gunners with a goal, smart interplay with Cedric Soares removing Callum Doyle from his fierce effort and high in the net.
Too easy for Nicolas Pepe 👏
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 21, 2021
Arsenal lead 2-0 💪 pic.twitter.com/b4i6cbYZxt
It could have been more; Between the two goals, Folarin Balogun had twice turned down presentable opportunities in the box. Meanwhile, pressure from Emil Smith, Rowe and Odegaard had pinned Sunderland, at least until Alex Pritchard, freed from pressure from Arsenal, deflected a speedy counter that saw Elliot Embleton back against Everton indebted Nathan Broadhead. He was seen slipping through the ball at just the right time. His finish was calm, picking up the ball over Bernd Leno, who was perhaps a little slower than his line.
It was the first goal scored by a visiting team at Emirates Stadium since 22 October and Sunderland looked good value to add more before the half-out. Carl Winchester brought up a smart save from Leno with a curling left footed shot from outside the box, while Tom Flanagan over his failure to deflect a free kick on goal, at least until the offside flag was raised. were feeling ashamed.
A large contingent of traveling Sunderland fans had been turning north London into a mini-stadium of lights for some time, while the guests were touring Mohamed Alleny & Co in midfield. The halftime whistle was a blessed relief for Mikel Arteta.
It was hard to imagine that Arsenal would have ever been on the backfoot, such was the dominance with which they slay Sunderland with a sword. Nuno Tavares caressed down the left, as he often does, with defenders unable to stop him, slamming the ball to the near post. Naketia doubles his tally with a dart behind his center and a flick of his right boot.
Nketiah hits a backheel for his first ever Arsenal hat trick 😲 pic.twitter.com/7y1ZpYK9iO
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 21, 2021
The hat-trick was merely entertainment for the goal, a goal that deserved to withstand the cold December London night, although there were probably no other risks in the capital. Odegaard, enjoying that spot, allowed Sunderland into the second half, taking Pepe's run out of the left. The Ivorian showed nothing but disdain for his keeper, 18-year-old Callum Doyle. It was time to teach the indebted Manchester City a bit about the harsh realities of life in the Premier League as he delivered the first of two nutmegs on him in minutes. From there, he swung the ball towards the flamboyant Neketia, who certainly wasn't going to take a shot at his back with Flanagan.
With a skip in the air, Neketia turned herself to strike through the ball for her right heel, which got stuck in the bottom of the net. The modern game may have developed beyond pure hunters at the highest level, but any player who can regularly achieve goalscoring status with an England Under-21 international should never fall short on suitors. In just six months, he will be out of contract, with managers across Europe seeing his healthy target return and his reluctance to sign on to new terms at Arsenal. He definitely deserves to pick up a flyer if Arteta can't make him believe that his future lies in North London.