Martin Keown identifies Mikel Arteta's 'problem' after Nicolas Pepe goal

Arsenal legend Martin Keown hailed Nicolas Pepe after his solo wondergoal against Wolves and suggested the forward had given Mikel Arteta a ‘nice problem’ with his resurgence in recent games.

The Gunners were well on top in the opening stages at Molineux and the returning Bukayo Saka saw a goal disallowed by VAR before Pepe hit the crossbar with a powerful strike.

Arteta’s men then had a penalty shout turned down but Pepe – starting his fourth match on the bounce in all competitions – made the breakthrough in the 32nd minute as he jinked his way past Nelson Semedo and Ruben Neves before finding the back of the net with an exquisite effort.

And while the visitors looked set to go into the break with the lead, David Luiz was sent off for bringing down Willian Jose inside the box and Neves made no mistake with the resulting penalty on the stroke of half-time.

On Pepe’s opener, ex-Arsenal defender Keown – commentating on the game for BT Sport – said: ‘It sometimes takes time for players to settle into the Premier League.

‘In the second season you expect more and he’s been a slow burner, certainly.

‘But now we’re seeing a little bit of form.’

Pepe has struggled to live up to his £72million club-record price tag since arriving from Lille back in 2019 but Keown believes the Ivorian is giving his manager a selection dilemma with his recent performances.

On Pepe’s form being a ‘nice problem’ for Arteta, Keown replied: ‘It certainly is because [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang can play out on that left-hand side.

‘Gabriel Martinelli has also come back from injury so there’s some good options now for Arteta.’

During his half-time analysis, Rio Ferdinand claimed Pepe had rediscovered his ‘swagger’ and was beginning to display the form he previously showed at Lille which convinced Arsenal to spend so heavily on him.

‘Pepe has got his swagger back,’ the former Manchester United and England centre-back said.

‘We have mentioned the press being so successful for this Arsenal team coming into this game.

‘Here they saw it, they smelt it and they went in and win the ball, Pepe himself wins it first and then it’s about him from here.

‘He puts it through [Nelson] Semedo’s legs, a bit of luck and a bit of trickery, shuffles his way through and this finish is just sublime. What a finish off his right foot.

‘He’s starting to show glimpses of why they invested so heavily in him.’

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