Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich was full of quality, and one of the best moments of the night came from a player who wasn’t supposed to be on the pitch.

When Bukayo Saka was forced off with a quad injury after 10 minutes, Mikel Arteta turned to Eberechi Eze, who came off the bench and made an instant impact. Fifteen minutes later, Martin Odegaard dropped deep, spotted his run down the left and played a wonderful pass that led to the opening goal.

Eze let Odegaard’s pass bounce three times before firing a left-footed finish past Manuel Neuer. It was the earliest goal by an Arsenal substitute in a Champions League match since Thierry Henry in 2005.

Martin Odegaard full of praise for Eberechi Eze

Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Odegaard was delighted for his teammate. “I think he’s a top player, and I think everyone knows his qualities. And today you could really see that out there,” he said.

“He’s someone who always works so hard and gives everything every single day. And works so hard for the team. So really happy for him.”

That work rate is something opponents have noticed as well. Only last week, Fulham captain Tom Cairney admitted he was stunned by how hard Eze works without the ball under Arteta, saying he was “around me like a rash” when the two sides met. That was a side of Eze’s game Cairney said he never saw at Crystal Palace.

Odegaard wasn’t the only Arsenal teammate to back him after the Bayern game. Declan Rice, who scored Arsenal’s late equaliser, said Eze “doesn’t care” about the recent criticism and that he “needs to feel the love from the manager and his teammates”.

The truth is, it hasn’t been an easy few weeks for Eze. He was taken off at half-time on his first Premier League start of the season at Nottingham Forest on Sunday, while Noni Madueke came on and scored the winner. But that’s now two goals in three games, and with Saka facing a spell out and Christos Tzolis still injured, he looks set to become Arsenal’s first choice on the left.

Eze joined from Crystal Palace for a huge £67.5million fee, and Arsenal now need him to show he’s worth it. His next chance comes against Everton at the Emirates on Saturday.