Arsenal legend-turned-pundit Thierry Henry has backed young striker Eddie Nketiah to become a key player for the Gunners as he progresses further in his professional career. The teenager made an instant impression among the Gunners’ faithful after he popped up with a match-winning brace in the 2-1 League Cup win over Norwich City.

The Gunners looked destined to bow out of the League Cup after they found themselves a goal down to the Canaries with just five minutes of normal time to play. However, Nketiah stepped up from the substitutes’ bench to make the difference as he notched his maiden club goal just 30 seconds onto the field as he lashed onto an opportunity from a corner.

He went onto to add another to his tally with a header 96th minute and this capped a dramatic comeback for the hosts. Writing in his column in The Sun, Henry was full of praise for Nketiah, who he had watched play in the Under 18 setup.

Henry wrote, “He will always score goals, even when he’s 60. I worked with him when I was with the under-18s and I was delighted to see him grab two goals — delighted but not surprised. He is a great kid and was a pleasure to work with. He was always on time, listened hard and was a good worker, willing to learn and improve. If that guy plays, he scores. Simple. Of course, the hardest thing will be to get a chance at a big club like Arsenal — but he’s made the best possible start.”

Hector Bellerin remains the last noticeable player to progress through the Gunners youth system, and Nketiah may have to stay grounded in order to break into Arsene Wenger’s lineup more often. Arsenal host West Ham United in the League Cup quarterfinal on December 20, just three days prior to their crunch Premier League game versus Liverpool.