Makeshift striker Merino bags brace as Arsenal beat Leicester

LEICESTER, England :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, after the Spaniard was thrust into a makeshift centre-forward role by his club’s injury crisis up front.

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.

Substitute Merino rose to head in teenager Ethan Nwaneri’s cross from the right in the 81st minute, before tapping home unmarked at the back post when Leandro Trossard’s inviting ball picked him out six minutes later.

"(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.

"He (Nwaneri) is an amazing player, he is such a talent. I have been talking to him the whole season about supplying those kind of balls when I make late runs into the box."

Arsenal are now unbeaten in 15 league games, winning 10 of those, their best run since they went 16 without a defeat in the 2010-11 campaign when Arsene Wenger was in charge.

Leicester have now gone 17 league games since they last kept a clean sheet and there were muted fan protests in the 14th minute of the game, and outside the stadium beforehand, that appeared to be aimed at director of football Jon Rudkin.

Chances were few and far between in the first half, and two of the best fell to Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi.

His volley from the edge