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The Chris Whyte experiment: when Arsenal played a centre-back up front

Mikel Merino excelled as a striker for Arsenal on Saturday. Chris Whyte did not have as much joy 40 years ago

By Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog

You didn’t need to be a genius to work out what was coming. Going two transfer windows without signing a centre-forward was always going to be a gamble for Arsenal, especially considering that their one remaining option was clearly out on his feet in recent weeks. The injury to Kai Havertz was depressingly inevitable.

Mikel Arteta had a dilemma before the Leicester match at the weekend. With no strikers available, he opted to play Leandro Trossard through the middle. When that didn’t work, Mikel Merino came on and scored both goals in the 2-0 win. Merino’s timely goals have temporarily halted the debate but, if all else fails, Arteta could throw Riccardo Calafiori up front and get the ball into the mixer.

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Andy Murray to stay in Djokovic’s corner and may coach him at Wimbledon

  • Serbian says collaboration between pair is ‘indefinite’
  • Djokovic over leg injury and competing at Qatar Open

Andy Murray will continue to coach Novak Djokovic through to the French Open – and possibly at Wimbledon.

Djokovic confirmed the Scot had agreed to continue their partnership, which began in the buildup to last month’s Australian Open. The 24-time grand slam champion said the collaboration was “indefinite”, opening the possibility of the former rivals also linking up at Wimbledon this summer.

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