Mikel Arteta says Eberechi Eze’s thunderbolt is ‘the reason why he’s here’ | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta claimed the wonder goal scored by Eberechi Eze to fire Arsenal on the way to the Champions League quarter-finals is “the reason why he’s here”.

Eze hit spectacular 20-yard thunderbolt before Declan Rice added a classy second to seal a 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen for a 3-1 aggregate success.

The 27-year-old has taken his time to adjust to life with the Gunners following his £67.5million summer switch from Crystal Palace, but Arteta says he now looks the part.

“We needed a magical moment from Ebs to score a wonderful goal, a wonderful strike to give us the lead,” said the Gunners boss.

“I think he’s playing every three days now. He has the rhythm, he has understanding with his team-mates as well, what we want.

“Especially his level of activity with the ball, without the ball, in the spaces that he moves, the purpose that he’s showing every time he’s in and around the box as well, which is the reason why he’s here, to create those kind of moments.

“I’m comparing the minutes that he’s ever played in his career. He’s much higher right now than any other season. So that tells you as well the consistency that he’s showing.

“He’s always fit. Today, he had to come off because he’s got a lot of minutes in him, but he’s handling the pressure, the situation and the expectations very well.”

Arsenal had found Leverkusen tricky opponents in Germany last week, needing a last-gasp Kai Havertz penalty to snatch a 1-1 draw.

But they were totally dominant at an Emirates Stadium still basking in the giddy elation of Max Dowman’s history-making goal against Everton on Saturday.

There was nothing ‘ugly’ or ‘boring’ about this win for the critics to moan about, either.

Arteta’s side swaggered their way into the last eight for the third successive year and, with Sporting Lisbon the opposition, they will fancy their chances of reaching another semi-final at least.

Moreover, with a nine-point lead in the Premier League, a Carabao Cup final meeting with Manchester City on Sunday and an FA Cup quarter-final at Championship Southampton to come, an unprecedented quadruple is edging tantalisingly closer as the weeks go by.

They were kept at bay by Leverkusen goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, who made fine saves from Leandro Trossard, Ben White, Bukayo Saka and Rice.

The dam finally burst 10 minutes before half-time, and it was well worth the wait.

Eze, on the edge of the box, took one touch with his left foot to control Trossard’s pass, swivelled and launched a rocket with his right past Blaswich and into the top corner.

Rice put the tie to bed just after the hour mark, latching on to a weak clearance, striding forward and stroking the ball home from the edge of the area.

The tireless midfielder was named player of the match, and he told TNT Sports: “I’m shattered, it’s non-stop.

“We’re in all the competitions still so it’s been every three days since October. We deal with it the best we can, but it’s difficult.

“We find ways to win and it’s all good. Everyone asks where I get my energy from. I just get this second burst of energy.”