Sambi Lokonga takes his Arsenal chance with both hands

Mikel Arteta gave Sambi Lokonga a rare start against Aston Villa on Wednesday night, and the 22-year-old put forth his best display for the north London side.

As is often the case in professional sports, players on the periphery of their team must bide their time and wait for a chance. When said chance arrives, it must be taken with both hands.

For some, the moment passes them by, while others thrive under the spotlight. Sambi Lokonga took his chance and never let go.

The Belgian midfielder was used sparingly last season as the Gunners were only in action in the Premier League and ever briefly in the two domestic cup competitions. Lokonga had to bide his time.

Lokonga dazzles at the Emirates as Arsenal beat Aston Villa

The 22-year-old had only played three minutes of football leading up to the Aston Villa clash. But such was Arsenal’s injury crisis that saw Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny out injured; he was given a rare start in the heart of Arsenal’s midfield.

Some could have looked at the opportunity as only a brief spell before reinforcements arrive, but in Lokonga’s case, he made a point to both the manager and the fans that he is more than equipped to be the understudy to Partey.

Against Villa, Lokonga was nothing short of sensational. He was superb on the ball; he sprayed it around and kept it neat and tidy. The Belgian completed 90.7% of his 54 attempted passes and made the most passes into the final third among Arsenal’s starters (seven).

Alongside Granit Xhaka, who himself is growing into a serious player, Lokonga dominated the midfield battle and, at times, did as he pleased. The Belgian was often seen breaking up Villa’s forays forward as he kept his side ticking in the middle of the park.

A performance like this is why Arteta signed him last summer. Having seen himself drop down the pecking order, he needed a chance to show what he could do, and he did it with aplomb.

While it is only one game, and it is likely he will be starting against Manchester United, which is a different task altogether, the signs are there for the midfielder.

Wednesday night was not a coming-out party by any stretch, but it did reinforce that while he does have some deficiencies, there is a lot to work with. All Lokonga could do was put forth a good display at the Emirates, and the 22-year-old did just that.

He needs to do it consistently now.