Opportunity knocks for Arsenal youngsters amid injuries to key players

Arsenal travel to Port Vale tonight in the third round of the Carabao Cup and they will be hoping to go deeper into this year's competition than last season when their cup run came to an abrupt end at West Ham in the fourth round.

Tonight's opponents were the surprise package, reaching the quarter finals and taking full advantage of some friendly draws along the way. Darren Moore's side have not been so lucky this year.

Arsenal travel to Vale Park tonight without Noni Madueke or Martin Odegaard. Madueke is suffering from a knee injury which could sideline the winger for some weeks. Though Odegaard looks closer to a return for the Gunners, a shoulder injury could yet force the club captain out of contention for Sunday's trip to Newcastle United.

Injuries to Madueke and Odegaard have an upside for patient youngsters

While all this is very bad news for Mikel Arteta, there is an upside. Injuries to Madueke and Odegaard have cleared the way for Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri to stake their claims for more Premier League Minutes.

Dowman is likely to start at Vale Park tonight with Saka being nursed back slowly to avoid any risks of a recurrence of his hamstring problems.

Although Dowman had a scintillating pre-season, he has been kept out of the side up until now due to the fine form of Madueke who has switched to the right flank in Saka's absence. Such is Arsenal's strength in depth that Arsenal's youngster has been made to patiently wait for his Premier League chances.

Ethan Nwaneri has dropped down the pecking order

Meanwhile, Ethan Nwaneri has dropped down the pecking order somewhat since the signing of Eberechi Eze. Thought of as the natural successor to Martin Odegaard, Nwaneri signed a new deal in the summer and will have expected to play in the Dane's absence.

However, Arteta has opted to play both Mikel Merino and Eberechi Eze ahead of Nwaneri who, much like Dowman, is having to wait for his chance in the Premier League. Nwaneri's route through to first-team action is currently blocked so he must grab opportunities like tonight at Port Vale with both hands.

Arteta's team selection tonight will be a pragmatic one. He will know that Arsenal have bigger fish to fry this season and the Carabao Cup will feature low on his priorities. It's easy to argue that going out of last year's competition early took the pressure off a squad that suffered with injuries throughout a gruelling league schedule and tough Champions League campaign.

Expect Christhian Mosquera, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Dowman and Nwaneri to all play tonight. If Port Vale are going to pull off a shock, they will have to do it the hard way.