Arsenal is still in all four competitions this season, and Mikel Arteta’s side is among the favorites for all. Manchester United legend Gary Neville believes that battling for all would be too much for the players and has named the one competition they can sacrifice.
Mikel Arteta Told Which Competition Arsenal Can Risk
No English side has ever won the quadruple, while Manchester United and Manchester City have done the treble. Arsenal is in a unique position, but Neville believes that the top players playing all games would be tough.
He wants Arteta to rotate the squad when possible, but does not think it is possible in the Premier League or the UEFA Champions League. He claimed that the FA Cup is the best chance for the manager, as the Carabao Cup final is left and is a one-off game against Manchester City.
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Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville said, “You can’t throw away a Champions League, you can’t throw away a Carabao Cup final, so how Mikel Arteta rotates, how he uses his squad, how he stays clear of injuries is going to be important. Arsenal have to in some ways take a calculated risk in the FA Cup. That’s not to disrespect it but you have to look it at and trust your second XI right up to the semifinal.”
Highlighting why he believes the FA Cup is the competition for Arteta to take a risk with his starting XI, Neville said that their opponents are not as strong as they would face in the league and the Champions League.
He thinks the second-string side could get past Mansfield in the fifth round and said, “The FA Cup does give Mikel Arteta a chance to take a risk. That might be the competition they falter in – they’ve got Mansfield in the fifth round so they’ll probably get across the line there, but as it goes through that’ll be the one which might fall by the wayside.”
The Gunners took a giant step towards the Premier League title today by beating Brighton & Hove Albion. Manchester City dropped points at the same time to Nottingham Forest, giving the London side a seven-point lead at the top, though they have played a game more than the Cityzens.
The North London side has also been given a relatively easy route in the UEFA Champions League, as they face Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16, with Bodø/Glimt or Sporting CP awaiting them in the quarterfinals. Should they continue their winning run, a semifinal clash against Newcastle United, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, or Tottenham is on the cards.
