Mikel Arteta and Arsenal will resume their Premier League campaign on Saturday after gaining the upper hand in their Champions League quarter-final
Mikel Arteta faces a big few weeks with Arsenal(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
After a late win in Lisbon on Tuesday night, Arsenal will return to domestic action against Bournemouth on Saturday. Mikel Arteta welcomed players back for the victory against Sporting CP and could have a selection dilemma on his hands during the run-in.
Kai Havertz came off the bench to score the only goal of the game in midweek and he isn’t the only one pushing for a start against the Cherries. Teenage sensation Max Dowman has already shown he can hold his own against Premier League defences and there has been plenty of clamour for him to play more.
After this weekend’s game, there’s a quick turnaround before Sporting head to North London for the second leg of their European tie. Arsenal might have seen their FA Cup hopes dashed by Southampton but they’re still in pole position for the league title as they prepare to face closest challengers Manchester City on April 19.
Arteta will have plenty of decisions to make for those key games and some advice has come his way. Here are Mirror Football‘s latest lines.
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Arteta handed Dowman advice
Former England defender Rio Ferdinand believes Max Dowman could hold the key for Arsenal in the title race. The 16-year-old was a difference maker in the recent win over Everton when he played a part in both goals, scoring for the first time in the Premier League.
“He could be the key to Mikel Arteta getting Arsenal over the line, I think he’s that good,” the pundit said on Rio Ferdinand Presents. “He’s not got the mental scars that the other players have because of what they’ve gone through in previous seasons.
“You might need someone like him to lean on and tell him to be fearless and help us through it without giving him too much responsibility. He could be a massive key for Arsenal in that sense.”
Eze return provides headache
Ebere Eze looks like he could be ready to return ahead of schedule for Arsenal. The England international hasn’t played since mid-March, when he scored in a 2-0 Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen.
Initial estimates suggested Eze could miss up to six weeks with a calf injury. However, he has returned to training to spark suggestions he might even be available this weekend.
While Mikel Arteta will no doubt be pleased to have more options at his disposal, the return of the £68m man could leave the boss with difficult decisions to make with his starting line-ups in the coming weeks. On the other hand, though, Martin Odegaard missed training and the Gunners boss will hope his captain isn’t set for another spell on the sidelines.
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