Arsenal vs Leeds: 5 key players to keep Cup run alive

4. Rob Holding

And for those of you that doubt Mustafi, we have Rob Holding back. He looked like he might have been getting ready to come on against United, but whatever the case, he was healthy, and given that the competition is now the FA Cup and that we need to start figuring out other defensive options, Holding will have a lot on his shoulders.

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He also has a tremendous opportunity. With Chambers down for the count and Mustafi ever unreliable, Holding is going to be called upon to be that third option.

The goal is to elevate him beyond that. To a higher reliability, and that starts here. He’s got half a season to establish himself. But in the mean time, the hodgepodge centerback pairing of Holding and Mustafi (assuming that’s the route Arteta goes), is exactly that—a hodgepodge—and we are going to need both of them to step up to keep Leeds from putting pressure on this club.

Luiz and Sokratis inspired incredible confidence in this defense, but it’s still a frail confidence that needs to be bolstered. Holding can be a big player there.

Onwards to No. 3.