Sat Feb 15 18:52:16 UTC 2025: ## Arsenal’s Merino Bags Brace in Late Leicester Thriller
**Leicester, England** – Mikel Merino emerged as the unlikely hero for Arsenal, scoring two late goals to secure a 2-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. The substitute’s brace, his first multi-goal game in almost seven years, propelled Arsenal to within four points of league leaders Liverpool.
The match, a low-scoring affair, saw Arsenal struggle to create chances in the first half despite the absence of injured forward Kai Havertz. Leicester even had the better opportunity, with Wilfred Ndidi heading narrowly wide. Youngster Ethan Nwaneri impressed for Arsenal, coming close to scoring twice before providing the assist for Merino’s first goal in the 81st minute. Merino then sealed the victory with a composed finish six minutes later, capitalizing on a Leandro Trossard cross.
Merino’s performance has raised questions about his potential role as Arsenal’s primary striker for the remainder of the season. His late heroics have injected renewed hope into Arsenal’s title aspirations, although Liverpool has a game in hand. The Gunners will be hoping to close the gap further as the season progresses. Full match statistics are available on [link to Opta stats page].
First Piper 