Mikel Arteta’s FA Cup conundrum vs Manchester City

Arsenal face Manchester City in the FA Cup fourth round at the Etihad Stadium on Friday night, but should Mikel Arteta focus on the Premier League instead?

Arsenal are flying high at the summit of the Premier League. After defeating Manchester United 3-2 in their last outing in the league, the Gunners have put some distance between themselves and the chasing pack.

But now, the league presses pause as the FA Cup takes centre stage over the weekend as Arsenal and Manchester City battle it out at the Etihad on Friday night.

However, there is a small matter of concern, and it is quite the thought provoker.

How seriously does Mikel Arteta take this fixture?

For years, the domestic cup competitions have been used mainly for squad rotation, particularly in the early rounds for Arsenal. First-team players are given the game off, and fringe players get valuable minutes, hoping to impress.

So, what does Arteta do?

It is the first of three meetings the two clubs will have between now and the end of the season, so Arteta would not want to give too much away.

Should there be squad rotation, or should the Gunners go all gas and no brakes in the hopes of progressing to the next round?

If Arteta was to chop and change his squad, one player who should be given a breather is Bukayo Saka. The star winger has played every league game thus far and played the most minutes among Arsenal players at the World Cup.

With Arsenal’s title bid off to a good start, losing Saka to burnout would be catastrophic. This is likely why Leonardo Trossard was brought in to give the likes of Saka and Gabriel Martinelli time off when needed.

The other question is: does Arteta want to use this FA Cup game as a chance to give his entire squad a rest and entirely focus on the Premier League?

After all, it is the club’s best chance at lifting the trophy for over 14 years. Not many would criticise Arteta for doing that.

While significant squad rotation would likely signify what Arteta finds more important, it could also give others a much-needed rest. Per The Athletic, six players have played every league game, and another six have played 15 or more.

What Arteta does will be interesting, but with a genuine Premier League title bid in front of them, relegating the famous FA Cup competition to an afterthought wouldn’t be the worst thing.