Midfielder Mikel Merino scored two late goals to keep Arsenal's Premier League title hopes alive with a 2-0 victory at Leicester City on Saturday.
The Spaniard was thrust into a makeshift centre-forward role following his club’s injury crisis up front and was incredible.
With Arsenal’s makeshift front three of Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri struggling to create chances, Merino — a central midfielder — came on in the 69th minute to play as a striker and quickly got on the end of two good crosses to decide the game.
The Spain international headed home a pinpoint ball into the box from 17-year-old Nwaneri in the 81st and then steered in a low cross from Trossard in the 87th.
Merino said manager Mikel Arteta only told him on the day that his job was to play up front.
"(Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta) told me I would come on as a striker and to make sure I play to my strengths. It is the first time in my career that I play in that position," Merino told TNT.
"Today was a tough game, we knew coming to play this team battling relegation it would be. But games like today are really good for the squad."
Merino said his goals have helped him save some face at home.
"I forgot to get my wife something for Valentine's Day, so this (brace) goes to her ... I think she will appreciate this more than a rose or some chocolates," he added.
Arsenal move to 53 points from their 25 matches, four behind leaders Liverpool having played a game more, while Leicester remain in the relegation zone with 17 points from their 25 fixtures this season.
It was Arsenal’s first game since leading scorer Kai Havertz sustained a season-ending hamstring tear in training in Dubai, joining striker Gabriel Jesus and winger Bukayo Saka on the long-term injury list.
Arteta had said long-term injuries were "an accident waiting to happen" due to the workload players face.
Germany forward Havertz was ruled out for the rest of the season after it was confirmed on Thursday he would need surgery to repair the hamstring injury he suffered during Arsenal's training camp in Dubai last week.
Havertz's injury, sustained when he stretched to block a shot, means the Gunners are now without a recognised striker after Jesus ruptured his ACL last month, and leaves Arteta with a host of senior players in the treatment room.
As well as Havertz and Jesus, Arsenal were also missing Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Takehiro Tomiyasu for the trip to Leicester. The Gunners had also been without Ben White since November due to a knee problem.
Meanwhile, Ruud van Nistelrooy's men remain in the relegation zone after a game that saw protests against the club's football leadership, with director of football Jon Rudkin the focus of fans' ire.
'Sack the board' sung fans walking to the ground, where a banner questioning an internal review was unfurled was joined by further calls for Rudkin's exit.
Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha acknowledged fans' frustrations in his programme notes but called on them to back the side.
In truth, the atmosphere was flat beyond Arsenal's impressive away support, who saw their side dominate first half possession without seriously threatening the hosts.
Bangladesh tour of Pakistan
January 24 – First T20, Lahore
January 25 – Second T20, Lahore
January 27 – Third T20, Lahore
February 7-11 – First Test, Rawalpindi
April 3 – One-off ODI, Karachi
April 5-9 – Second Test, Karachi
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
More on Quran memorisation:
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Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UK-EU trade at a glance
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
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Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
