Merino scored one of Spain's goals as a substitute in Saturday's 3-1 UEFA Nations League win over the Czechia.
Analysis:Merino pushed forward from his central midfield role to make a run into the box and seal his national team's victory in the final minutes of the match. The Arsenal man remains involved for Spain and has delivered a notable attacking contribution in the international break, scoring one goal and assisting once over his last two appearances, despite coming off the bench in those games. The goal could help his case for increased minutes with both club and country. However, at the Premier League level, he remains a regular backup option in the rotation with Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Odegaard, and he has yet to get directly involved in the score sheet across five matches played.
