Mikel Arteta has clearly stated that Arsenal's young star, Max Daumen, will have opportunities to play this season, but he must work hard to earn that playing time. These remarks were made ahead of the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday against Ipswich.
Arsenal and Current Season Goals
Arsenal finished second in this competition last season, losing to Manchester City in the final. Now the team travels to Ipswich in search of their fifth victory from the first five games of the season.
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Sixteen-year-old Daumen has been used as a substitute in the first four games of this season and recently appeared in the match against Napoli on Wednesday in that capacity. He has also played several times with Arsenal's under-21 team, losing 4-1 to Chelsea in his last match.
Challenges Ahead for Daumen
Daumen made his debut last season as the youngest player in Arsenal's history in the Premier League against Crystal Palace and scored his first goal beautifully against Everton. However, with Arteta able to bench players like Noni Madueke, Ebrahima Konaté, and Viktor Gyökeres, he could not guarantee that Daumen would start at Portman Road on Tuesday.
Arteta commented on this, saying, "I wish he was here (in Sunderland), but we are facing limitations in the number of players." He also mentioned Daumen's capabilities, stating, "Max will have his chance and must work for it like any other player."
The Arsenal head coach also referred to the team's motivation, stating that while the Carabao Cup may have a lower priority compared to defending the Premier League title, his team will welcome the opportunity to progress in the competition.
"This is our next game, and we are looking for a win," Arteta added. "We will look into the players' eyes, and they will show that they want to play and win."
In the last league game, Bukayo Saka secured a hard-fought victory in Sunderland with a late goal, and he told the club's official website: "This week has been very important for us. We have had a lot of travel, and we all need to keep going."
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