Arsenal: Eberechi Eze told his level 'will have to jump up' after ineffective Champions League debut | OneFootball

Arsenal’s big summer signing has been sent a strong warning

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Eberechi Eze has been told to raise the level of his game after difficult outing for Arsenal against Athletic Club.

Eze made his Champions League debut in Arsenal’s opening game of the league phase on Tuesday evening.

Fresh off providing an assist in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on his first start for the Gunners following a £67.5million summer transfer from Crystal Palace, the attacking midfielder once again operated from the left-wing.

The 27-year-old was substituted in the 71st minute and his replacement, Gabriel Martinelli, would go on to break the deadlock within seconds before providing an assist for Leandro Trossard to seal an impressive 2-0 win.

Speaking on TNT Sports after the game, pundit Steve McManaman suggested the game will have been a wake up call for Eze.

He said: “Eze will watch tonight’s performance and think to himself ‘this is a different class of opposition, they’re quicker, they’re stronger than I faced in the Premier League and with Crystal Palace’.

“He knows now his level of game will have to jump up.

“You are now playing big boy’s football in the Champions League against the best teams around. If you want to compete, you have to be better and you have to be quicker than he showed tonight.”

Eze and Arsenal now turn their attentions to Sunday’s clash at home to Manchester City in an early season showdown between two teams expected to challenge champions Liverpool for the Premier League trophy.