Arsenal star handed huge chance under Mikel Arteta

Arsenal left the Emirates Stadium on Sunday with not a worry in the world. Only tenth in the league? Not important right now. Tottenham were atrocious? Yes, but nobody cares.

The injury to Granit Xhaka might have felt like a sidenote at the time. Now that it’s been revealed that he will be out for effectively the remainder of the calendar year, it’s a potentially season-defining loss.

There is no avoiding that the situation is, for many, anything but. Not everyone wants Xhaka to be a regular feature in this team after getting a taste for the outlook of the side without him. Yet in the same way that Alexandre Lacazette is not many peoples’ first choice No. 9, the need for experienced backup remains.

That is the case with the Swiss whose extended spell on the sidelines is a huge blow as the fully fit squad Mikel Arteta had was a rarity – it didn’t even last 90 minutes. And, of course, there is the fact that the backup options include Ainsley Maitland-Niles, someone there are still question marks over, and Mohamed Elneny, who has no more questions to ask.

Arsenal star Albert Sambi Lokonga given huge chance to impress under Mikel Arteta following Granit Xhaka’s knee injury keeping him out for up to 8 weeks

But those who see the silver lining of the former Arsenal captain’s absence do so because of a certain Belgian, someone who has hit the ground running in red and white and who has a now been presented with a huge chance to stake his claim in the starting lineup.

Should the manager opt for the 4-1-4-1/4-3-3 system he adopted prior to Xhaka’s return then the opportunities will be more limited, but if not then Albert Sambi Lokonga is the obvious candidate to take up Xhaka’s spot in the team.

A player of his positivity on the ball, a neat range of pass, and with shades of the man he is set to partner in his skillset is an exciting prospect; partly due to what he’s offered already in his short time at the club.

His off the ball positioning is where he’s lacking but it’s been evident throughout his six appearances that he’s a quick learner. With each game he makes strides, even if he might be taking a few too many lessons from Thomas Partey: his shooting accuracy leaves plenty to be desired.

A lot will hinge on how Arteta sets his team up but even in the cases where the single pivot is utilised the lack of Xhaka greatly increases Sambi’s chances of involvement in one way or another.

Too much pressure can’t be rested on his shoulders as mistakes will follow but the 21-year-old has demonstrated thick skin and a wonderfully calm demeanour on the pitch; confident in his own ability and an unflustered approach regardless of the backdrop or opposition.

This is a huge chance for the midfielder under Arteta. How many minutes he gets will be dictated by a combination of the system used and the impression he makes when given the chance. While he will never want to see a teammate suffer such an injury setback, there is no way he isn’t looking at this opportunity in the Premier League as one he can grasp with both hands.