Arteta Shocks Arsenal Fans With Bold Double Gamble Against Newcastle
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta surprised many observers by selecting Eberechi Eze in his starting lineup against Newcastle United on Sunday, with William Saliba relegated to the substitutes' bench.
The determined Spanish tactician has often been characterized as an inflexible leader—not entirely without justification at times—but appeared to bow to mounting pressure by abandoning his industrious midfield trio for the journey to the northeast.
The physical yet creatively limited combination of Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino has been Arteta's preferred midfield setup this season. This robust triumvirate was initially deployed against Liverpool last month when Arsenal managed only a single shot on target in their opening loss of the season.
The same group provided minimal attacking impetus in a victory over Athletic Club that required two late substitutions to secure the result, before being selected again for a lifeless first half performance against Manchester City the previous weekend.
Arteta passionately defended his team's tactics in a frustrating 1–1 stalemate with Pep Guardiola's squad despite barely threatening City until injury time. Merino was withdrawn at the interval in that match for Eze, who orchestrated Gabriel Martinelli's late leveler with an expertly weighted chip over the defense.
The summer acquisition from Crystal Palace has made just one Premier League start for Arsenal so far, playing on the left flank against Nottingham Forest. Nevertheless, the attacking midfielder is poised to receive his first opportunity in a central role at St James' Park with Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka providing width around striker Viktor Gyökeres.
This choice to field Eze represents a significant leap of faith from Arteta for a challenging visit to Newcastle's intimidating fortress and potentially suggests he may be prepared to adopt a more adventurous approach.
Mikel Arteta Explains William Saliba, Martin Ødegaard Decisions
Cristhian Mosquera has likewise demonstrated his worth to his manager. The 21-year-old summer recruit from Valencia has been thrown into action sooner than anticipated following William Saliba's early season setback. Arsenal's commanding center-back has returned to fitness but finds himself among the substitutes on Sunday after completing the entire 90 minutes in the midweek Carabao Cup triumph over Port Vale.
As Arteta clarified, there remain ongoing worries about the ankle injury that sidelined Saliba less than four weeks ago. "We must rotate the squad," the Spanish manager cautioned.
"These venues and these occasions shape your team. Such tests create a stronger unit. It will be a physical encounter."
Skipper Martin Ødegaard, who is also returning from a shoulder problem, is "eager to return to action" following two days of training, but has likewise been named on the bench.
Arsenal Confirmed Lineup vs. Newcastle
(4-3-3): David Raya; Jurrien Timber, Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori; Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyökeres, Leandro Trossard.