Mikel Merino turned an embarrassing Valentine’s Day oversight into a fairytale moment for Arsenal, scoring a dramatic late brace in a 2-0 win over Leicester City to keep his side’s Premier League title hopes alive—and pacify his wife in the process.
The Spanish midfielder, a surprise hero in an unfamiliar striker role, admitted post-match that his match-winning performance doubled as a belated romantic gesture. “I forgot to give my wife something for Valentine’s Day, so this goes to her,” Merino grinned, still catching his breath after netting twice in six minutes. “I think she’ll appreciate this more than a rose and some chocolate!”
With Arsenal’s attack decimated by injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli, manager Mikel Arteta resorted to improvisation. A misfiring front three of Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling, and 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri struggled to break down Leicester’s defense, prompting Arteta to deploy Merino as an emergency forward in the second half.
The gamble paid off spectacularly. In the 81st minute, Merino rose unmarked to thump a header past Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, igniting roars from the traveling Arsenal supporters. Six minutes later, he pounced on a defensive error to slot home a clinical finish, sealing his first brace since 2016 and capping a chaotic week that began with a romantic misstep.
“Mikel told me this morning I’d be playing as a striker—it’s the first time in my career,” Merino revealed, still bemused by his positional shift. “He said, ‘Go with your strengths,’ and luckily, it worked.”
The victory propels Arsenal to within four points of league leaders Liverpool, applying pressure ahead of the Reds’ clash with Wolves. For Leicester, the defeat deepens their relegation fears, leaving them winless in six matches.
Merino’s fairytale intervention masked deeper concerns for Arsenal. Their injury crisis has exposed a lack of depth up front, with Arteta forced to rely on midfielders and academy products to fill the void. Yet the result also highlighted the squad’s resilience, a trait that could prove vital in the title race’s final stretch.
When asked if he’d consider a permanent switch to striker, Merino laughed off the idea. “I don’t think so—today was just one of those days,” he said. “But these are the games where you need spirit. If we keep this up, good things will come.”
For now, at least, Merino’s Valentine’s redemption is complete. As for his wife Lola? “She’ll probably still want flowers,” he joked. “But maybe this buys me a little time.”
