A string of injuries to attacking players has led Mikel Merino playing as a striker recently but Merson ‘can’t get his head around’ that tactic and wants Raheem Sterling to start instead of Arsenal’s £32m midfielder.

If Arsenal’s attack is the resistible force, perhaps PSV’s defence is the movable object. A tie of teams meeting for the third consecutive year may be a clash of opposites. The Dutch champions can both score and concede; the perennial English runners-up sometimes do neither.

Merino shone in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory at the King Power Stadium, scoring both goals after coming off the bench with just over 20 minutes to go. The dilemma for Mikel Arteta now is whether he starts Merino up front for this weekend’s clash with West Ham, or continues to use him as an impact player from the bench.

Arsenal's last shot at a trophy begins on Tuesday, when Mikel Arteta and Co., visit Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie.

Arsenal’s 15-game unbeaten Premier League run came to an end as West Ham United thwarted their attempt to reduce the gap to leaders Liverpool at the top of the table.

Arsenal are struggling to score goals without the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. The Gunners have been forced to deploy a makeshift front three in recent matches, with midfielder Mikel Merino leading the line as a number nine.

Arsenal have been training with different players leading the line and not just midfielder Mikel Merino, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday as the club grapples with an injury crisis that has left them without a recognised striker available.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will be faced with another difficult choice this weekend of who to play up front amid their injury crisis, after Mikel Merino scored a brace against Leicester last week as a