Mikel Arteta Praises Fringe Players For Earning Trust After Luton Showing

By The Editor
on 4th April 2024

Arteta rung the changes against Luton…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has praised the fringe players for earning everyone’s trust after producing a performance against Luton.

Reiss Nelson was handed his first Premier League since start of the season while Thomas Partey featured in the first XI for the first time since August.

Emile Smith Rowe was also given the nod in the No.8 role, marking his third start of the campaign and the first since the trip to Nottingham Forest in January.

Smith Rowe was awarded the man of of match by host broadcaster TNT Sports after starting the move for our opener and setting him the second.

The changes allowed Arteta to rest our entire forward line, while Declan Rice was also given a timely break following his excursions with England last month.

For the manager, he’s delighted that the players who were drafted in have now earned everyone’s trust and are options moving forward this term.

“There are always questions if it’s only half of the team and in the end, we’ll be judged on what we do and whether it’s right or wrong because of the result,” the Spaniard told Arsenal.com.

“We should not do that, we should do it because they fully deserve it regardless of if we win, draw or lose. Today they gave us a reason that we have to trust them.

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“They started really strong, generated a lot of momentum in the first half and some big chances, and scored two great goals.”

Arteta will need to continue to use the squad, especially in the Premier League games after our games against Bayern Munich this month.