CHRIS SUTTON: Why Chido Obi reminds me of Wayne Rooney – and how Ethan Nwaneri is already Arsenal’s most reliable attacker

What struck me most about Chido Obi against Fulham in the FA Cup was he seemed to play with complete freedom where you feel like others, like Rasmus Hojlund, look to be playing with the weight of the world on their shoulders.

There is no doubt that Obi seems a little bit raw, which is normal at 17 with only 73 minutes of first team action to his name so far, but he looks extremely physical.

The one thing for me at 17 was that I was still developing physically but Obi, anyone who can muscle Calvin Bassey off the ball as he did, you take your hat off too. Physically he does look like he is there and then he also looks explosive.

There are certain elements of his game I am sure he is working hard on, but to go in at Premier League level, at the top level, and be able to cope physically is a big, big deal. He coped very well in that aspect. Now the challenge to him is to refine his skills as much as anything.

He looks fearless to me. That’s what you get from young players because he hasn’t been part of this struggling team.

I think Manchester United fans are looking for someone or something to cling on to right now and while we need to not go over the top given he is finding his feet, he is incredibly exciting as a prospect.

Chido Obi is set to face his former team Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday following his exit from the Gunners in October 2024

Despite only 73 minutes for the Manchester United’s senior team, the 17-year-old youngster has proven to be a top addition to Ruben Amorim’s squad

His last minutes in the Red Devils’ shirt occurred during the FA Cup match against Fulham, amid the club’s decision not to register him for the Europa League

In my early years in the old first division I felt the most important thing from my perspective was feeling that I could cope at the level and belonged out there. It was important, I felt, that you have a feeling that the level wasn’t beyond me and it’s OK, you’re meant to be there.

I was in the youth team at Norwich City, then the reserves, and there was a pathway into the first team. Injuries arrive and you get the chance alongside players you had been watching on the television like Obi is experiencing now. Then you’re going up against them and thinking “blimey, I can cope” and you get confidence from that.

I think about Wayne Rooney’s first game for Everton against Arsenal when he came on and the one noticeable thing was how strong and robust and powerful he was. It was eye-opening.

Obi isn’t Rooney right now, of course, but you have to cope and opposing defenders often look at young players coming in thinking they can physically dominate them.

But Obi showed me enough of a menace in his cameos, particularly against Fulham, for people to sit up and take notice. If defenders come up against him now they certainly won’t take him for granted.

Look at when Obi came on against Fulham and everything was so natural and he wasn’t overthinking things; he was playing as if he would normally for the youth sides and with a freedom he shows with his own age group. Then everything comes out: the pace, the power, his rawness.

Also, defenders don’t quite know what sort of type of player he is. I’m sure everyone will be sitting up and are aware of him now with managers feeding in bits of info on his threat.

He remains something of an unknown quantity which could work in his favour.

Although he appeared in the 68th minute of the FA Cup clash, Obi was notably remembered for his contribution to the game, concluding the game with a total of three shots

Obi’s development in the senior squad could be beneficial for Ruben Amorim, whose main strikers, Ramus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, are currently struggling 

United are looking for something to cling on to and maybe this season that is Obi. There is always the danger of too much expectation being put on to a young player. But he’s shown moments.

When he rolled Bassey you thought “blimey, wow”. For someone to roll and out muscle Bassey you don’t see that too often and he’s just 17 so you think, imagine where he’ll be with another two-three years development.

The key now with Manchester United and the way they have played this season is they don’t want to knock the natural element of his game out of him. That was what was exciting about him. It was new, fresh, and nobody quite knew what to expect. You just don’t want him to be dragged down by the malaise that is going on at United. 

Ethan Nwaneri is only 17 but in this moment in time he is the most reliable Arsenal.

It’s a short period of time to judge him but he does look like a player that has gone into Mikel Arteta’s side with that confidence, that arrogance – which I think you need – but more importantly the way he sees and reads the game. He looks like he has been around for years.

He can play in any position along the front but the Martin Odegaard position is actually his best position I’m told, which is really interesting because it tells you that he has a tremendous footballing brain.

The other night in Eindhoven, similar to Obi in that, his physicality stood out at such a young age.

I think it’s a huge thing going in at 17 and having that physicality and that pace and strength. He has a tremendous footballing brain.

I always think when you are in one of those central areas you need to have that awareness of everything that is happening around you. You aren’t playing like wide players on the touchline, and that tells you a lot about him.

In the middle of several injuries among key player, Ethan Nwaneri has recommended himself as a reliable starter in Mikel Arteta’s squad

The 17-year-old wonderkid had an astonishing night in the Netherlands on Tuesday, scoring in the 21st minute against PSV Eindhoven 

Nwaneri has already started on six occasions out of 17 Premier League games this season

When I was a young player at Norwich I was really full of it. Nobody could tell me anything when you have that bravado. For him to go him and impose himself as he has done I do think that is quite rare.

The player he reminds me of from my younger days was Ryan Giggs when he first came into the Manchester United team. He was absolutely fearless.

Now who knows if Nwaneri will have the career that Giggs went on to have but to liken him to someone who came in and absolutely gave that impression that they were cock-sure of themselves at such a young age and had that game understanding, it’s a good comparison.

People say scoring goals is the hardest thing in the game but there is an argument to say just how many players out there have that ability to actually go past defenders and be a dribbler?

He has a good mix to his game that he can do it all: slide a pass, create an opportunity, take a man on one versus one and that understanding to go both ways. If you become a one-trick pony and always try to come inside the best defenders try to read that and you become easy to play against.

In Eindhoven against PSV, Nwaneri destroyed Manchester United loanee Tyrell Malacia.

Malacia is still a good defender even if it didn’t work out at Old Trafford and yet Nwaneri made him so look so, so ordinary. That would have been impressive if he was 25 or 26 years old and in the prime of his career. To do that at 17 was unbelievable.

The other thing I really like about him is in the first half against PSV they were ahead and PSV’s most important player is a guy called Noah Lang, and he’s got a good defender in Jurrien Timber behind him.

The youngster was previously compared to Lionel Messi after shining in Arsenal’s away victory against Leicester City by former Chelsea winger Joe Cole

Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history in September 2022 when he made his debut at the age of 15 years and 181 days against Brentford

Lang was quite quiet on the evening but he did have a couple of bursts before half-time and Nwaneri’s work-ethic and running back 50-60 yards to double up with Timber stood out. That’s what players should do but it continues to be so impressive to see that desire and that understanding of the defensive side of the game, too.

There are young players that get into the first team and they want to show the manager how skilful they are and what they are capable of with the ball – but you have to show yourself on the other side of the game and for Nwaneri that really stands out.

The challenge for him now is his application and to not let things go to his head.

The fact he has the understanding, can play inside or dribble and play outside, you become pretty unstoppable.

Teams will learn that you have to double up on him. It doesn’t matter how experienced your full-back is, there are players out there like Nwaneri who can destroy anyone in a one versus one situation. There will be a respect level across the Premier League and in European competition that they have seen enough of Nwaneri to know they need to pay him close attention.

He is the one in recent weeks that has played like he isn’t under pressure or shackled by the pressure of a title race. He’s been their go-to forward.