3 talking points ahead of Arsenal vs Bolton

Arsenal host Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening and will be looking to continue their good form in a domestic cup.

The Gunners drew 2-2 to Manchester City at the weekend, dropping two points as a result of a heartbreaking last-minute equaliser following a heroic defensive effort. The draw meant they fell to fourth place in the Premier League but Mikel Arteta will be hoping a good result against Bolton can build momentum ahead of Leicester's visit to the Emirates this weekend.

As Arteta's focus switches to one of two domestic cup competitions, there are three key talking points heading into this cross-division matchup.

1. Youngsters time to shine

As is the case with plenty of bigger clubs playing in the EFL Cup, Arteta is likely to rotate his Arsenal side for their tie against Bolton. Those rotations could mean certain youngsters will have the chance to make their full competitive debuts for the club.

The likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are still awaiting their first competitive starts at senior level and could fulfil this on Wednesday evening. Mikel Arteta has made the bold decision of bringing them on in big games against Manchester City and Tottenham, respectively, so starts for the pair against League One opposition seems a no-brainer.

Chances of the Hale End pair starting are high and as a result of this, they can follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduates. Emile Smith Rowe and Joe Willock, among others, made names for themselves from appearances in cup competitions.

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