EDDIE NKETIAH underlined his importance to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta by scoring a welcome hattrick in Gabriel Jesus’s absence against Sheffield United last night.

With the Brazil striker ruled out for a “few weeks” due to a hamstring injury he picked up near to the end of his excellent performance during the Gunners 2-1 victory over Seville in the Champions League on Tuesday, Nketiah displayed his goalscoring talents to his manager on Saturday.

Nketiah put Arsenal ahead on 28 minutes after taking Declan Rice’s ball into the box on the turn, before coolly slotting past Blades keeper Wes Foderingham. 

The Lambeth-born forward 24-year-old added a second five minutes after the interval, prior to firing a long-range effort past the increasingly beleaguered United keeper on 58 minutes, to all but seal a deserved victory for the Gunners.

Fabio Vieira with a penalty, and Takehiro Tomiyasu with his first Gunners goal on his 50th appearance, were the other scorers on a good day for Arsenal.

“It’s amazing. It’s not been easy — last month I lost my auntie, so I want to dedicate these three goals to her. Her family was here watching so it is a really special moment,” said Nketiah after the match.

With Jesus and Thomas Partey out — the Ghanaian has a muscular injury — Arteta made four changes from the 2-2 draw at Chelsea last weekend, with Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard benched, while Emile Smith Rowe was handed a first Premier League start since the 2-0 loss to Newcastle at St James’s Park in May 2022.

Gabriel Magalhaes was also rested on the bench, with Jakub Kiwior coming into Arsenal’s defence alongside William Saliba — Jorginho and the injured Gabriel Jesus the other players dropping out. 

The changes were more an acknowledgement by Arteta that his squad face a raft of vital matches over the coming weeks, rather than meaning Paul Heckingbottom’s initially obdurate team with any disrespect.

For a team with only a single point after nine defeats from 10 matches since their promotion back to the top table of English football — including a humiliating 8-0 rout inflicted by Newcastle at Bramall Lane last month — the Blades were poor defensively, with limited attacking options at this level.

Gabi Martinelli broke free of United’s shackles to unleash a powerful near post drive that Foderingham did well to palm away five minutes before the interval, as the Gunners went into the break ahead, if not with an entirely convincing display across the opening 45 minutes.

However, victory was effectively confirmed on 50 minutes, when Nketiah grabbed his second of the afternoon, when he fired home for 2-0. The strike coming after Foderingham could only palm Saka’s corner into the path of Nketiah, who drove into the roof of the net with confidence.

Nketiah was to raise the matchball in the air to joyous supporters eight minutes later, following his delightful long-range strike to make the score 3-0, and mark a popular treble with his fifth goal in 10 matches this term.

There was even time for the departing captain for the day, Saka, to purposely hand Nketiah the armband, to put the seal on a good day. With Nketiah’s first England cap earned earlier this month, it showcased the end of a memorable month for the former Arsenal academy graduate.

No wonder Arteta was moved to say after the match: “To me he is top level. He’s started nine out of our 10 Premier League games, so that tells you how much we trust him and the importance he has in the team.

“I’m really happy for him, a [former] academy player, to experience a Premier League hat-trick. He needs to enjoy the moment, he fully deserves it, and hopefully there are many more to come.”

Vieira made it 4-0 on 88 minutes, sending Foderingham the wrong way with his spot kick, after VAR advised referee Tim Robinson to take another look at Blades’ captain Oliver Norwood’s foul on the Portuguese midfielder on the edge of the box.

That was before Tomiyasu made it 5-0 six minutes into the ten additional minutes, as the Gunners moved to second place.

As for sorry United, it’s going to be a long winter of struggle.