Arsenal can utilise Carabao Cup loophole and show Arteta's ruthless side

26 September 2023 , 07:44

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Arsenal can utilise Carabao Cup loophole and show Arteta's ruthless side

Mikel Arteta will be able to field his strongest XI at Brentford on Wednesday night if the Spaniard takes advantage of competition rules.

The Gunners face a tricky Carabao Cup tie at the Gtech Community Stadium, but Arteta has become renowned for taking the knockout competitions seriously. His only silverware thus far in charge of the club came via the 2019/20 FA Cup.

And last season, he came under fire for playing his strongest XI throughout the Europa League campaign, despite his side being in the Premier League title race. The plan ultimately backfired, as key centre back William Saliba picked up a debilitating back injury in the last-16 loss to Sporting Lisbon and missed the remainder of the campaign.

Now Arteta must decide whether to continue to stick with on-loan keeper David Raya, who has started the last three games after displacing Aaron Ramsdale. The north London club forked out £3 million to secure Raya for the 2023/24 campaign, with an option to sign him permanently for £27 million next summer.

Were it a Premier League tie, the 28-year-old would be deemed ineligible as players on loan cannot face their parent club. However, that ruling does not apply to cup competitions.

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Indeed, in 2020 Philippe Coutinho famously played in a Champions League quarter final for Bayern Munich against parent club Barcelona, and scored twice as the German club hammered them 8-2. In English domestic cup competitions, the same notion is permitted if the two clubs involve agree.

And according to talkSPORT, the Bees have given their approval for Raya to play. The former Blackburn keeper initially displaced Ramsdale, who had started the previous 52 league games for the club, for the 1-0 win at Everton this month.

David Raya has started Arsenal's last three games (AP)

HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Arsenal go all out to win the Carabao Cup? Comment below.

He then kept his place for the Champions League victory over PSV, and was given the nod for Sunday's frenzied north London derby. But despite some eye-catching saves, one of which prompted Ramsdale to applaud from the bench, he also made an error that led to a Spurs equaliser.

But whilst many fans and pundits would have expected Ramsdale to return for a Carabao Cup game, the fact that Arsenal have negotiated Raya's availability is telling. And starting him would be a ruthless message to the England international from Arteta.

Despite previously vowing to rotate the pair, Arteta seems keen to cement Raya as his No 1. That's despite Ramsdale performing consistently last season, and being selected in the end-of-season PFA Premier League team of the Year.

Fraser Watson