Mikel Merino: No Victor Gyukiris, no problem – the temporary striker joins Arsenal again

The sight of Mikel Merino celebrating after scoring while playing as a striker is something Arsenal fans have grown accustomed to over the past nine months.

The midfielder-turned-forward was back in action on Tuesday, scoring twice in a 3-0 Champions League win over Slavia Prague.

The 29-year-old was replacing Victor Gyukiris, whose muscle injury has caused manager Mikel Arteta “concern” as the Swede prepares for further testing.

Fortunately, there is no need to worry about Merino’s ability to step up and provide support for Arsenal, whose fourth successive success in the league stage extended their winning streak to 10 in all competitions.

“It’s a pleasure to have him,” Arteta admitted. “It’s his mentality, it’s his leadership, it’s the way he carries himself as a person.

“We are missing a lot of attacking players and we have to find different solutions. He comes in the Champions League and scores two goals.”

Merino made his debut as a temporary striker for Arsenal in February when he scored twice in the Premier League win over Leicester following Kai Havertz’s hamstring injury and Gabriel Jesus’ cruciate ligament injury a month earlier.

This was Merino’s first time in this role since he was a child.

He then scored crucial goals in wins over Chelsea, Fulham and Real Madrid and finished last season with nine goals in all competitions.

Merino has three goals this season, also scoring at Newcastle on September 28, with Arsenal conceding the last goal eight games ago with a clean sheet to equal a club record dating back to 1903.