Fans are likening Mikel Merino to a Premier League cult hero following his standout performance against Leicester, and the comparison is fitting.

Arsenal’s midfielder-turned-striker Mikel Merino is drawing comparisons to a Premier League cult icon after netting two goals to secure a 2-0 win over Leicester City. With Kai Havertz sidelined for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury picked up during the Dubai training camp, manager Mikel Arteta’s side have only three senior attackers available—Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri, and Raheem Sterling—all of whom started the match.

Despite a game that proved challenging at times, things shifted when Arteta substituted the underperforming Sterling with Merino with just 20 minutes remaining. The Spaniard, who arrived from Real Sociedad for £28.4 million this summer, scored a late brace to clinch a crucial victory for the title contenders.

Merino’s late impact drew immediate comparisons to former Everton and Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini, known for his forward surges in the dying stages of games. Social media quickly lit up with comments such as:
• “Mikel Merino, the Fellaini arc. I told ya’ll.”
• “Mikel Merino is Arsenal’s very own Marouane Fellaini. David Moyes – Fellaini. Mikel Arteta – Merino.”
• “Merino could basically be our Fellaini. Nwaneri btw. That kid is special, not even Saka was doing this at 17.”
• “Tears what was Arteta cooking when he said he saw shades of Fellaini in Mikel Merino. He plays exactly like him up front.”
• “We’ve got the new Fellaini. Mikel Merino take a bow.”

In addition, William Saliba—who once played as a striker for his first club AS Bondy in France—is ready to step up in an attacking role. Saliba has previously remarked, “I was happy to be the main striker. Most of the time I played, I scored.” Amid the ongoing injury crisis, Arteta conceded that the team “is going to have to be creative” when exploring alternative options. He recalled Saliba’s early response: “Willy always says ‘I’ll play as striker.’ Straight away it was one of his reactions. Willy is so funny, but it is true he played there. He used to score a lot. But a lot of players played there when they were younger.” The manager added, “Is that an option to put them up front? You never know what’s going to happen. We are going to have to be creative.”

Thanks to Merino’s heroics, Arsenal now sit just four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.