Arsenal boss Arteta hails 'other Mikel' after makeshift striker's matchwinner 

Mikel Merino's winner earned Arsenal all three points against Chelsea 

Mikel Merino grabbed his fifth goal of the season

Merino started each of the Gunners last six matches up top, after injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

The Spain international's his header against Chelsea earned three vital points as Arsenal pulled the gap back to 12 points to table toppers Liverpool, who lost the Carabao Cup final to Newcastle on Sunday. 

Speaking after the match, a delighted Arteta praised the 28-year-old, saying: “His willingness to learn and give his maximum to the team with the qualities that he has to play as a nine. That’s what we'll be looking for from others if we had the chance to do, but it’s really helping.”

Arteta refused to rule out using Merino as a forward in future as well, even when injured players return.

 “You always learn from challenges, you open doors and explore situations that probably in a different context you wouldn't be able to do it. So, that's a really good thing to learn,” insisted Arteta, before hailing the team's victory over the Blues. 

“I really loved the attitude of the team from the beginning,” he said. “It was so aggressive, so dominant with and without the ball. We scored the goal, had a lot of chances that we didn't put into the back of the net, unfortunately.

“Defensively we conceded almost nothing. It was very, very impressive. And attacking-wise, we could have generated much more because we had some open situations just to kill them. We didn't finish the action.

“The way we went to the duels, the intensity that we showed, the level of communication on the side, we really generated a really good atmosphere in the stadium. And, yeah, we deserved to win the game.

“We had to run in transition and running back in transition  the team was incredible the way they tracked back. So overall, so competitive, really good periods but probably should have been more.”