Eberechi Eze set for immediate opportunity to breathe new life into stalling Arsenal career | OneFootball

Injuries and fitness issues mean Arsenal’s big-money summer signing is likely to start this afternoon’s FA Cup tie at home to Wigan

That north London derby hat-trick must feel a long, long time ago for Eberechi Eze.

Scoring what proved to be the winner against Crystal Palace got the engines rumbling and a hat-trick against Spurs a few weeks later appeared to be the perfect lift-off moment.

Instead, Eze has barely had a meaningful touch of the ball since. It is now 15 matches without a goal or assist in all competitions.

Incredibly, Eze has registered just two shots in the Premier League since the north London derby, ten appearances and not far off three months ago. Those both came in a ten-second spell against Sunderland a week ago.

Against Brentford on Thursday night, Eze started as the No10 and had the chance to be Arsenal's creative heartbeat on a tough night.

He managed only 17 touches, nine passes, and was hooked at half-time.

"Well I think he had moments and it's not easy when you move to a new club," Arteta said after the match.

"It's always like this and when you play against a team that is like this and the ball is a lot of times not on the floor and you have to be constantly breaking the play.

"Doing that, especially for attacking and creative players, it's more difficult."

Eberechi Eze was replaced at half-time during Arsenal’s draw against Brentford

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Eze was far from the only Arsenal player to struggle at the Gtech Community Stadium and Brentford's direct, in-your-face approach did not provide the ideal circumstances for the 27-year-old.

However, more concerning was that this was a continuation of a worrying theme for Eze, rather than an anomaly against in-form opposition.

Arsenal did not register a single shot on target in the first half. In Eze's most recent Premier League start before the trip to Brentford, at home to Wolves in December, the Gunners also failed to hit the target in the opening 45 minutes.

An adaptation period to his new surroundings was always going to be needed, but Eze was signed as a Premier League-proven star.

Even if there were doubts over whether he was the style of player Mikel Arteta typically puts his faith in, few would have expected Eze to look as lost as he has done in recent weeks.

His stats compared to his last season at Crystal Palace are way down - not even half the amount of chances created per 90 minutes, barely a third of the passes played into the box, and fewer duels won.

The good news for Eze is that he is likely to get an immediate opportunity to play his way back into form when Wigan arrive in north London on Sunday in the FA Cup.

With Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino injured, and Martin Odegaard a doubt, Eze looks set to start again in midfield and this is a chance he cannot afford to waste.

It's always like this and when you play against a team that is like this and the ball is a lot of times not on the floor and you have to be constantly breaking the play

Mikel Arteta

Eze has not been used as a left winger since he switched off against Aston Villa in December and the sense is that Arteta is not yet confident with him at No10 either.

If Thursday night was not to Eze's liking, Sunday afternoon should be the complete opposite.

Arsenal host a Wigan side who sit 21st in League One and have lost five of their last six matches. They have conceded three to Doncaster and six to Peterborough.

Eze has to demand the ball and make his mark on the match. This is as good a chance as he will get to breathe life into a stalling season.