Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is already trying to “weed through” the players he wants to keep and those he wants to move on, says Gunners legend Martin Keown. Arteta has had a positive impact since becoming the permanent replacement to Unai Emery in December. Arsenal now have a chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League as they sit just five points adrift of fifth spot in the Premier League with a game in hand.
However, their other avenue via the Europa League ended last Thursday after a shock loss at home to Olympiakos.
Arteta rang the changes for the FA Cup fifth round clash away at Portsmouth on Monday night, naming a youthful side.
Keown backed the youngsters to perform, claiming some of the more senior players in the squad have more often than not been the ones to let the side down this term.
The former defender says Arteta was right to rotate against Portsmouth and says the Spaniard is already looking at who he wants to keep long term.
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“Well I think he’s got to trust in this group, in the squad,” Keown said on BT Sport.
“You have to believe in your players and if he feels in the last few days that one or two look a bit jaded, maybe mentally a bit down, look at the way they went out of that competition, so it would have affected the whole group there’s no doubt.
“So he knows the mood in the camp, there are lots of youngsters in this group wanting to prove they should be first-choice regulars.
“So tonight’s an opportunity to prove that.
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“I’m looking forward to seeing [Eddie] Nketiah to see if he can get more goals, [Gabriel] Martinelli’s been a huge success for them.
“They’ve got to get results, it’s been such a dark place at Arsenal.”