Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits Lucas Perez is "pushing on the door" and deserves more opportunities.
The Spaniard is reportedly set to leave the Premier League club at the end of the season after limited chances under Wenger.
Given a rare start on Monday, Perez opened the scoring in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Sutton United in the FA Cup.
Wenger said the former Deportivo La Coruna forward, who has made just two Premier League starts, deserved more chances.
"Yes, he is pushing on the door but I have many strikers," he said.
"I have [Olivier] Giroud, [Danny] Welbeck, [Theo] Walcott, Alexis [Sanchez] and Lucas.
"It is true that he deserves a go because he scores goals and is a good player."
Lucas this season...Scored in the Scored in the Scored in the Scored in the February 20, 2017
Walcott was also on the scoresheet in the win, which put Arsenal into a quarter-final against Lincoln City.
Wenger was impressed by fifth-tier Sutton United and the Frenchman said he would never want to manage in the National League.
"[We played] against a side that was astonishing. It is basically division five and they are 17th out of 24," he said.
"I will never go down there [to manage] because it is too difficult."
