A Sky Sports pundit has set the cat amongst the pigeons with comments about two West Ham and Arsenal stars.
Such is the tribal nature of English football, it doesn’t take much to have rival fans at one another’s throats.
That’s certainly the case with West Ham and Arsenal supporters on social media right now.
There is little love lost between the Hammers and Gunners in recent times.
What was one of London’s softer rivalries has intensified since Declan Rice left West Ham for Arsenal in that £105m deal.
West Ham fans have been mercilessly goaded by their Gunners counterparts over snatching away their homegrown captain.
So it stands to reason that the Hammers have taken great pleasure in the part they’ve played costing Arsenal the title in the last three seasons.
There has already been much debate over who is the more impactful player between Bukayo Saka and Jarrod Bowen.
Not just amongst Arsenal and West Ham fans either.
New Arsenal vs West Ham England debate
That particular debate was settled earlier this month with Bowen’s statistics actually showing he marginally better than Saka.
Now there is fresh debate over Bowen involving another Gunners attacker.
Whenever an England squad is named there are always debateable selections and questionable call-ups.
Bowen has been named in Thomas Tuchel’s first Three Lions selection.
So too have Arsenal stars Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
But there was no room in the 26-man squad for Ethan Nwaneri – the latest star being touted as a wonderkid by Arsenal.
Nwaneri has had a seriously impressive start to life in the Arsenal first team.
He has been a regular in the side since Saka’s injury. His rise is especially impressive given he has only, quite literally, just turned 18.
Instead of waking up to a phone full of 18th birthday messages while away on England Under 21 duty, Nwaneri’s phone will be red hot with mentions alongside Bowen.
Because a Sky Sports man has dragged the Arsenal star into a ridiculous West Ham debate on his 18th birthday.
Sky Sports’ The Lowdown panel of experts were discussing Tuchel’s England and picking the squad they think should go to the World Cup next summer.
One one the pundits listed Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon, Saka and Bowen as his ‘have to go’ players for Tuchel’s England World Cup squad.
Sky Sports man drags Arsenal star into ridiculous West Ham debate on 18th birthday
But the mention of Bowen’s name shocked fellow pundit Dougie Critchley.
And he went on to state that Nwaneri should be in the England squad over Bowen, despite having only made 28 senior appearances for Arsenal.
The other pundit on the three-person panel reveals he picked Arsenal youngster Nwaneri ahead of Bowen in his selection.
And Critchley said there was no argument.
“(Nwaneri) over Jarrod Bowen? 100 per cent,” Critchley said on Sky Sports.
“He’s top 10 young players in the world.”
The clip has already been viewed over 700,000 times and has stirred much debate among England, West Ham and Arsenal fans.
Now clearly the boy Nwaneri is class – even if he and Lewis-Skelly were part of the Arsenal FA Youth Cup side beaten 5-1 by West Ham in the final less than two years ago.
Arsenal have a top talent on their hands with a big future ahead of him.
Nwaneri the future but Bowen is there here and now
But for Critchley and his fellow pundit to suggest he should be ahead of Bowen in the pecking order is a poor take.
It also piles unnecessary pressure on Nwaneri when England have plenty of quality options, like West Ham’s Bowen, to choose from while he continues his development.
The most damning thing for Critchley is a number of Arsenal fans pouring cold water on his bold statement in the comments.
There is no doubt Nwaneri is England’s future – but Bowen is there here and now.
When West Ham beat Arsenal at the Emirates a few weeks ago, their captain was the best player on the pitch.
Meanwhile, Nwaneri was ineffective and subbed off.
Nwaneri is 18 and has peaks and troughs to go through and a lot to learn.
Let him do that without the pressure of being thrust into such ludicrous debates.
