Arsenal star Nketiah getting surprise help from Tottenham icon after hat-trick

10/31/2023

Premier League season after 10 games as Spurs lead from Arsenal

Tottenham icon Jermain Defoe has revealed that he was asked to help Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah over the summer as the recent hat-trick hero attempts to win over Mikel Arteta. Nketiah has had to bide his time as a back-up to Gabriel Jesus, but following the Brazilian’s injury he took his chance with an impressive three goals in the 5-0 win over Sheffield United on Saturday.

Defoe admitted that he was taken aback when Nketiah messaged him on social media asking for advice. The ex-Spurs hitman sits ninth on the all-time Premier League top scorers list with 162 goals and now works as a pundit and a coach with Spurs’ Under-19s.

But Nketiah had no issue crossing the north London divide, with Defoe happy to help the 24-year-old. “He actually messaged me on Instagram,” Defoe told Premier League Productions. “I thought it was a joke. Arsenal and Tottenham.

“In pre-season, he messaged me on Instagram. He wanted to speak about finishing and movement, all that sort of stuff. I thought you know what, I like that because that’s a young centre forward that wants to try and get as much from other players that have played the game in that position as he can. Someone who wants to learn. He is a good finisher. When he gets chances. I believe he will score.”

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Nketiah has benefitted from injuries in the frontline to Jesus, Gabriel Martnelli and Bukayo Saka as he has started eight out of Arsenal’s 10 league games, scoring five goals in the process. He is seemingly taking Defoe’s advice on board but had a very clear message for the Gunners’ local rivals, who are currently perched at the top of the table.

“It’s a draining league, but we aim to be up there again,” Nketiah said after scoring a hat-trick. “We want to be up there, to keep pushing.”

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Nketiah was given the nod over other options up front in Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard in a show of faith from Arteta, as the English forward has opened up on how hard he is working behind the scenes.

“It is just about good habits, improving every day, pushing yourself, in front of goal, back to goal, movements, pressing, and giving everything for the team,” Nketiah added. “The more I am playing, the more I am learning – when things go wrong or go right – and making sure the next time I correct any mistakes.

“It is good to be playing regularly and I am improving with more game time. Whatever role I am given, whether it is five minutes, two minutes, 10 minutes, I just want to help the team and my main focus is to contribute and try to get the win.”

Arsenal’s new kit for 2023/2024 is a stylish twist on a classic as it reinvents that mid-1990s vibe. A truly modern-looking shirt with a homage to the past, the Nike kit also includes a nod to the club’s iconic Invincible’s side in the finer details while catching the eye with the lightning bolt motif

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