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Arsenal comes up against Chelsea in the semifinal of the Carabao Cup tonight. It is a home fixture for the Gunners, and they currently lead the tie by one goal. Despite them not affording to lose, Mikel Arteta could make a big statement by benching Arsenal's best player, Bukayo Saka.
Bukayo Saka is an injury doubt for Arsenal anyway, but it seems like he could be ready to play. In his pre-Chelsea presser, Mikel Arteta confirmed it was looking good for the Englishman.
In his own words, Mikel Arteta said: "Yeah, we have to wait. [Yesterday, Saka] was better, but we have to wait and see. Have a response and then make the decision. It doesn't look like something too serious. Whether he's going to be available for [today] or the weekend, we'll see.”
Mikel Arteta has one obvious choice for Arsenal
Arsenal must not take the risk by starting Saka. Instead, they should give Noni Madueke a runout against his former team.
Noni Madueke has shown many bright flashes when playing for Arsenal so far. He has incredible footwork, and is one of Arsenal's best attackers in one-on-one situations. Where Bukayo Saka swings in a mean cross or cuts inside, Noni Madueke can retain the ball much better.
Just recently, Mikel Arteta said that Arsenal would approach the remainder of the season with an emphasis on having fun and enjoying the art of playing. Looking at Noni Madueke, he is one of those players that fits the exact bill.
It is very rare that you would see any Arsenal fan arguing for Bukayo Saka to be benched, or even left out of the squad. This is because he is by far Arsenal's most influential player.
This season, though, there is more leverage for Mikel Arteta to make such decisions. Noni Madueke is adequate backup, and just looking at him for a second draws the conclusion that he's hungrier than ever to play.
Mikel Arteta has made it very clear that he won't be prioritizing competitions, but every Arsenal fan knows that's a lie. While the Gunners might be closer to the Carabao Cup, there's no denying that the Premier League (or heck, even the Champions League) is far more tempting.
That said, Arteta mustn't make any silly decisions in the hunt for lower-tier silverware. Saka is not the necessity he once was, and he should be rested so Arteta can deploy his more premium assets in the more premium competitions.