Martin Keown says Arsenal star ‘missed an opportunity’ in Napoli win | Football

Martin Keown felt World Cup winner Mikel Merino ‘missed an opportunity’ in Arsenal’s Champions League win over Napoli.

The Premier League champions kick-started their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 victory over Serie A side Napoli on Wednesday night.

The Gunners were the better side throughout but looked set to pay the price for some wasteful finishing as the score remained goalless with 15 minutes remaining.

But Martin Odegaard ensured Arsenal began their European campaign with three points, slotting home his fourth goal in five games.

Mikel Arteta’s side are hoping to go one better in the Champions League this season after losing to PSG in last season’s final.

Keown sees no reason why Arsenal will not once again challenge to become European champions and says their ‘hunger and determination’ was there for all to see against Napoli.

The Gunners legend was impressed by Odegaard, Declan Rice and Piero Hincapie but felt Merino ‘missed an opportunity’ after a rare start ended in a 65th-minute substituion.

Merino helped Spain win the World Cup over the summer but could still struggle for game-time this season given Arteta’s embarrassment of riches in the midfield positions.

‘I thought Mikel Merino coming back into midfield missed an opportunity tonight,’ Keown said on TNT Sports. ‘We missed him last season but I thought he was a little rusty on his first start for a while.

‘But overall it’s looking good for Arsenal. The drive and determination and hunger is there.

‘Those Napoli players will tell you that Arsenal are going to go all the way again this season because that will have been one of the most difficult games they would have been involved in.

‘Martin Odegaard is the icing on the cake. Shooting from outside the box, I can’t remember the last time he did that. He looks like the real deal.’

Joe Cole also singled out Odegaard for praise after Arsenal beat Italian giants Napoli, describing his performance as ‘brilliant’.

‘Martin Odegaard was brilliant all night,’ the former Chelsea and England star said. ‘He is back to his very, very best.

‘He is probably thinking even though they won the league last season, he didn’t have a good season personally. He looks like the player we admired 18 months ago, he was brilliant.

‘Everything runs through Martin Odegaard. He can stand still and find space. He is at the peak of his powers and it is beautiful to watch.

‘You can’t help but love watching him play his football.’

Meanwhile, Arteta described his Arsenal captain as ‘decisive’ after the Gunners’ Champions League opener.

‘Martin is contributing with goals that are impacting results which is what we want from our attacking players,’ he said. ‘We want them to be decisive and certainly he was again today.’

Arsenal return to Premier League action on Saturday against Sunderland.

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