Arsenal: 4 big selection calls for Arteta vs Leeds

There is no time to dwell for Arsenal as Leeds United head to the Emirates on Tuesday for their third match in eight days as the EFL Cup round of 16 fixtures take place.

Mikel Arteta’s side found their rhythm in devastating fashion against Aston Villa with a blistering 60-minute spell in which they struck the back of Emi Martinez’s net three times to put themselves firmly in control.

Jacob Ramsey netted late on but the points were secured by that stage in what was one of the most encouraging outings seen during the manager’s tenure.

Back on home soil, that momentum needs carrying on and were fitness levels not an issue there would be no reason to make wholesale changes. However, that obviously isn’t the case and a balance has to be struck.

4 big selection calls for Mikel Arteta to make as Arsenal prepare to face Leeds United in the EFL Cup round of 16 on Tuesday

There are some key selection decisions for Arteta to make as he aims to avoid disrupting the status quo while also handing minutes to key players who’ve found themselves on the periphery.

Quite clear now is that there is a starting lineup the manager can trust. In the six games where he’s had the vast majority of his new-look team to choose from the side have gone unbeaten: four wins and two draws.

Evident since the first outing in the EFL Cup is that Arteta has his eyes on a silver prize. While the changes were considerable for the previous win over AFC Wimbledon, it was nonetheless a squad made up of entirely first team names.

Against Premier League opposition it’s unlikely that fans will see academy involvement. Regardless of that, there are some big selection calls to make as Marcelo Bielsa’s struggling Leeds side head to the capital.

1. Nuno Tavares or Ainsley Maitland-Niles at Left-Back

Nuno Tavares could hardly have had a more impressive full Premier League debut for the club than he had against Aston Villa. Industrious, physical, aggressive and threatening, the volume of lung-bursting run he made down the left and barely breaking a sweat was remarkable.

His inclusion was a forced one, with Kieran Tierney missing out through injury, and it sounds like Tuesday will once again come too soon for the Scotsman. Therefore there is an interesting decision to make, one heavily reliant on when Tierney may return.

Despite a superb outing, Tierney will remain first choice in the position, so if he’s fit for the upcoming trip to Leicester it could mean another 90 minute run out for Tavares against Leeds. He’s absolutely capable of it, as witnessed in every game he’s played, but if he were to stay in the team for Leicester it may be in Arteta’s thinking to play Ainsley Maitland-Niles at left-back to avoid the Portuguese Under-21 international playing three times in eight days.

Maitland-Niles is the standout option to fill in there, even if he’s more suited to a left wing-back role than as a more classic full-back.

Him playing there also gives him the minutes he needs while allowing to keep the midfield similar to how it was on Friday. In a game where Leeds will push high on Arsenal’s defenders, Tavares will be subject to an entirely different 90 minutes and Maitland-Niles’ defensive resolve may come in handy.

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