At what point does Mikel Merino become a striker who sometimes plays in midfield, rather than a midfielder who occasionally leads the line? His match-winning showing against Brentford felt like another step toward that reclassification.
The 29-year-old has either scored or assisted in five of his six starts up front for Arsenal since Viktor Gyokeres’ injury forced the switch. Against Brentford he did both: a header for the opener and the assist for Bukayo Saka’s second.
“He was immense again today,” Mikel Arteta said, praising the instinctive centre-forward play that produced Merino’s goal. “The way he scored the goal, super smart. His timing, the way he wins the position and execution.”
Merino has 14 headed goals since the start of last season — the most by any Premier League player in all competitions. All of this from a central midfielder who, until Kai Havertz’s hamstring problem last season, had never previously been used as a centre-forward.
There’s learning on the job and then there’s this. Merino appears to have mastered the role and the statistics back it up. Since the turn of the year he has scored 21 goals for club and country, his emergence as a goal-getting centre-forward proving important for both Spain and Arsenal.
Arsenal now have Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus fit again, with Kai Havertz nearing full fitness. But they will likely find it hard to displace Merino, whose contribution stretches beyond finishing. “He makes the team much better,” Arteta added after the game.
Since Merino moved up front at the start of last month, Arsenal have scored 15 goals in six games, with their goals-per-game average rising from 2.1 to 2.5. That run has included the side’s two best attacking displays of the season, against Spurs and Bayern Munich, and Merino has been directly involved in nearly half of those goals.
He is not a conventional No 9. When he isn’t prowling the box, he drops into midfield, swaps positions with teammates, creates space and unsettles defenders. In his four Premier League starts up front this season he has averaged roughly half as many touches inside the opposition box per 90 as Gyokeres, but nearly twice as many touches and passes overall — reflecting how much he helps knit the play together.
Arteta also highlighted Merino’s work out of possession. He has started eight consecutive matches in a month for club and country, yet still covers the ground and intensity expected of a forward. Arteta recalled a sequence where Merino passed to Martin Ødegaard, then sprinted 40 metres to chase the ball to the corner flag, recovered possession and won it back — a vivid example of his energy and commitment.
Against Brentford Merino made four tackles. Premier League tracking data showed he ran more than 12 kilometres, second only to Ødegaard, and registered 368 intensive runs — the most of any player in the match. Over the last four Premier League games he’s made 10 tackles, second only among Arsenal players to left-back Riccardo Calafiori.
That defensive work-rate complements his attacking output and adds another dimension to his value. “It’s his curiosity, it’s his will to learn and probably his will to help the team,” Arteta said. He emphasised that Merino recognised Arsenal’s problems at the start of the season — losing Victor, Kai being injured and Gabriel Jesus sidelined — and stepped up. “He did it last year really, really well… I think this season he’s probably taken it to another step because he’s able to do even more things. I think the team is really grateful and he’s enjoying it.”
Arteta admitted Merino’s role has taught him lessons too. Having been concerned in the summer about the squad carrying too many strikers, the manager found that Merino’s adaptation has eased that dilemma. “I took that lesson because the whole summer I was thinking, if we bring a nine, what’s going to happen with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz? I had a lot of madness because I like them so much as well… So, leave the present, leave the moment and deal with the situation when it comes. That’s it.”
For now, Merino’s form makes him a very strong candidate to keep the No 9 spot. The stand-in striker might just be Arsenal’s best option up front at the moment. Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz will have to fight to reclaim places in a side in which Merino has become central to both the attack and the team’s overall balance.
