Arsenal to take on Sunderland
High-flyng Arsenal take on League One outfit Sunderland in the Carabao Cup quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening, with a place in the semi-final of the competition at stake.
Sunderland will be no pushover, even for an Arsenal side that have won three on the bounce, with the Black Cats currently sitting in 3rd place in the English third tier, and with a real chance to gain promotion back to the Championship this season.
As a result, it is unclear just how strong a side Mikel Arteta will field, having opted for senior players in each of the previous rounds of the competition. But, with 3 more fixtures between this and New Years Day, will there be a change to this policy?
Maitland-Niles missing?
Now, Arsenal fans think they have spotted a massive hint that could hand Charlie Patino minutes against the Black Cats, and it is to do with fellow midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
The Englishman was not spotted in the training pictures released on Monday, which Arsenal fans believe point to his unavailability for the clash with Sunderland. Belgian midfielder Sambi Lokonga is already confirmed to be missing the clash through COVID-19, leaving the Gunners threadbare in the middle of the park.
Should Mikel Arteta not wish to risk his first choice pair of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka for the full 90 minutes, he will have only Mohamed Elneny to call on to play in the central midfield role, handing an opening to young Patino.
Maitland-Niles wasn’t in the training pictures yesterday which could improve the chances of Patino or Salah-Eddine possibly getting some minutes as a sub at least.
— Jeorge Bird (@jeorgebird) December 21, 2021
Will Arteta finally give the Arsenal faithful a glimpse of the teen who has quickly become the most hyped-up academy prospect that the Gunners have had in years?
