Ethan Nwaneri encounters Mason Greenwood issue at Marseille as Arsenal star makes his mark

EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri is seeking to regain his place in the Marseille team

Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri finds himself in direct competition with Mason Greenwood as he looks to get his season back on track. The 18-year-old was an instant hit upon joining Marseille in the January transfer window but has recently lost his place in the team.

Having gone in search of regular football, Nwaneri was immediately rewarded with a place in the starting XI just a day after completing his loan move. The midfielder soon found himself on the scoresheet as he enjoyed a dream debut in a 3-1 win over Lens in January.

It looked to be a dream scenario for Nwaneri, who started four consecutive games under manager Roberto De Zerbi as he sought to prove himself abroad. However, while Arsenal would have been encouraged by his eye-catching start, the teenager was also taken off twice at half-time.

There was a further blow as De Zerbi left the club following a 5-0 defeat to PSG earlier this month, making Nwaneri’s prospects uncertain. He was an unused substitute for the following game under caretaker manager Jacques Abardonado before playing 20 minutes for new boss Habib Beye in a defeat to Brest last week.

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Faced with the prospect of impressing a new head coach, Nwaneri has added the trouble of attempting to dislodge one of the team’s star players. Journalist Fabrice Lamperti covers Marseille for La Provence and has explained that the Arsenal loanee occupies a similar spot to Greenwood, who has scored 23 goals in all competitions this term.

Reflecting on Nwaneri’s memorable debut, Lamperti told football.london: “Seeing him start so quickly was a surprise, especially in such an important match as the one against Lens.

“He played in a hybrid role, mostly as a right winger to give Mason Greenwood a rest, but also deeper in midfield. He scored a sublime goal but, above all, was very good in open play.”

While De Zerbi was willing to throw Nwaneri into the side, Marseille’s poor form could lead his successor to be more cautious. The club have won just one of their last six games since Nwaneri made his debut and the appointment of Beye also represents a shift from De Zerbi’s approach.

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“After Abardonado's interim spell, Nwaneri is getting to know Habib Beye, who has just arrived. Beye is looking to implement a more direct, vertical style of play, which isn't exactly De Zerbi's style,” Lamperti explained.

“Beye only gave Nwaneri a few minutes in Brest. Perhaps he'll give him more in the upcoming matches, after observing more in training and adapting his system.

“Nwaneri's problem is that he plays in the same area as Greenwood, OM's X-factor. De Zerbi tried to put them together, but this led him to shift Greenwood to the left, which he didn't understand. Now it's up to Beye to make his mark.”

The new Marseille boss opted to bring Nwaneri on for striker Amine Gouiri against Brest, pushing Greenwood into a more central role as his side attempted to make a comeback. While it did not have the desired effect, it demonstrated that Beye is willing to play the pair together, which could boost the Arsenal star’s prospects of reclaiming a starting spot.

Nwaneri has had the opportunity to impress his new boss in training this week and will be battling to start against Lyon on Sunday. Marseille are aiming for Champions League qualification this term and currently sit fourth in Ligue 1.