Gareth Southgate was in attendance to watch Eddie Nketiah score a brace against Manchester United, with the striker’s international future still open.

arsenal fc v west ham united premier league
LONDON, ENGLAND: Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on December 26, 2022. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

The Daily Mail report that Gareth Southgate was in the stands as Arsenal took on Manchester United at the weekend, and he watched on as 23-year-old striker Eddie Nketiah scored an equaliser and a winner for the Gunners.

The goals were Nketiah’s eighth and ninth in all competitions this season, one goal every 143 minutes.

Arsenal’s level doesn’t seem to have dropped significantly with the switch from Gabriel Jesus to Nketiah, with the ex-academy centre-forward rising to the challenge.

But with Nketiah playing so well at the top level at the moment, the question of his international future is brought into sharp focus once again.

Recently receiving the award for becoming the England u21s’ top goalscorer of all time, Nketiah is yet to play a minute for Southgate’s senior side.

That’s cause for concern for anyone hoping to watch him play senior football for England, as he’s also eligible for Ghana. If he doesn’t get chances soon, you’d imagine a switch to Ghana would quickly become more appealing.

With six goals since the return to club football after the World Cup, Nketiah is outscoring most of England’s other top forward options at the moment, whilst also being the youngest.

Club goals since the World Cup (age in brackets)

Arsenal's English striker Eddie Nketiah celebrates after scoring his team third goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 26, 2022. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s English striker Eddie Nketiah celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 26, 2022. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
  • Marcus Rashford (25): 9
  • Eddie Nketiah (23): 6
  • Harry Kane (29): 5
  • Ivan Toney (26): 3
  • Tammy Abraham (25): 2
  • Ollie Watkins (27): 2
  • Callum Wilson (30): 0

It remains to be seen whether Nketiah will keep this run going, and whether it’s enough to convince Southgate to select him.

But right now, he’s showing that he deserves to be playing international football.

If England continue to overlook him, Ghana are likely to succeed in tempting him away, after plenty of attempts in 2022.