JOURNALIST DRAWS EBOUE COMPARISON WITH LOKONGA

English journalist James McNicholas has drawn comparison between Emmanuel Eboue and Belgian international Albert SambiLokonga. McNicholas is the Arsenal correspondent for popular English publication The Athletic. He drew the comparison between Emmanuel Eboue and Belgian midfielder Lokonga after the latter had a game to forget in the last Premier League match at Liverpool.

McNicholas was on the Arsecast Extra podcast when he made the comparison involving Emmanuel Eboue. According to him, Lokonga had a stinker for the first five minutes of the second half during the Liverpool game and he had to be substituted for England international Ainsley Maitland-Niles. He went on to compare the situation to the situation with Eboue several years ago.Ivorian man Emmanuel Eboue came on as a second half substitute during a league game against Wigan Athletic at the Emirates Stadium in 2008 and he went on to have a poor game to the extent that legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had to sub him off to a chorus of boos from the Gunners fans at the match venue.

Lokonga, 21, had his poorest game for Arsenal since he joined the North London giants from Belgian club Anderlecht this summer. Arsenal paid £17m to secure his transfer from Anderlecht during the summer’s transfer window. The young Belgian national team player was not expected to play as much as he has done in the Premier League this season till date. He has played a lot in the Arsenal midfield mainly due to the knee injury sustained by Swiss player Granit Xhaka.

McNicholas said that the plan was for Lokonga to leave the field at the start of the second half for Ainslay Maitland-Niles before hosts Liverpool scored their second goal. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had planned to sub Lokongaoff immediately he started to struggle at the start of the second 45 minutes.