Mikel Arteta's decision-making has come under scrutiny from an unlikely Arsenal source
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the UEFA Champions League, Last 16, first-leg football match Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Arsenal in Leverkusen, western Germany, on March 11, 2026.
Mikel Arteta's decision has been called out(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
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Arsenal continue to deal with the hangover of their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City last Sunday. The Gunners’ hopes of a potential quadruple came to a bitter end as they were comprehensively beaten in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
It was an opportunity for Mikel Arteta to lift his first major trophy with the club since winning the FA Cup at the end of his first season in charge back in 2020. Instead, the Gunners go into the current international break disappointed and potentially concerned over their Premier League title prospects now, despite leading City by nine points in the table.
That’s because Pep Guardiola’s men still have a game in hand and will also host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in April. But there is still plenty of football left to play, with the north Londoners next in action against Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Ian Wright slams treatment of Lewis-Skelly
Ian Wright was "disappointed" with Arteta for not making use of Myles Lewis-Skelly’s talents against City. The 19-year-old academy graduate enjoyed a breakthrough season last year at left-back, despite predominantly being a central midfielder.
However, Lewis-Skelly has found minutes hard to come by this season and didn’t come off the bench against City - a game where Arsenal legend Wright believes his skillset could have benefited the team. The Englishman has enjoyed just 1,300 minutes of football this season compared to the 2,543 minutes Arteta awarded him last term, which is a source of frustration for Wright.
He said on Stick to Football: "I’ve mentioned Myles Lewis-Skelly when he played against Real Madrid last time, he had an unbelievable game. Then he’s kind of been dropped back out of it and I’m thinking in that game on Sunday, a left-back who can invert what we need is somebody comfortable on the ball.
Myles Lewis-Skelly prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Arsenal FC.
Myles Lewis-Skelly has struggled for regular game time for Arsenal this season(Image: Stuart MacFarlane, Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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"That’s the game he should be playing in because then he’s somebody who can get on the ball and at least we can link. There’s no way, Myles Lewis-Skelly, the way he started his career, he hasn’t got the capability to go on and do, I’m not saying he’s gonna do exactly what Nico O’Reilly’s done, but the confidence it gives him in playing is gonna be a lot probably more confident than he is right now.
"He can’t get into the team at the moment, whether it’s Piero Hincapie or if it’s behind Riccardo Calafiori. This guy is a footballer. We needed a footballer on Sunday, and those are the things that I’m sitting there watching, watching us do nothing.
"I’m thinking to myself, if the Arsenal fans saw someone like him come on and do a couple of things, everybody, it gets us going, it gets people going again. That’s a disappointment for me."
Havertz dispels rumours
Kai Havertz of Arsenal looks dejected during the Carabao Cup Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on March 22, 2026 in London, England.
Kai Havertz wants to stay at Arsenal(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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Kai Havertz says he is committed to Arsenal and wants to stay at the club despite speculation over his future. The forward’s hamstring and knee injuries have stunted his career over the past 12 months by limiting his game time.
Arsenal also brought in £64million signing Viktor Gyokeres last summer with a view to make him their starting No.9 ahead of Havertz. Now, amid rumours that the Gunners could sign another striker in Julian Alvarez this summer, the German has insisted he is not leaving north London any time soon.
He said in a press conference ahead of Germany’s upcoming friendly against Switzerland: "No, to be honest, I haven’t heard anything about that and I haven’t read anything about it either.
"I feel right at home at Arsenal, I feel everyone there is also very, very happy with me. Sure, it wasn’t a very easy season but I definitely see my future at Arsenal, in London."
England's 2026 World Cup kits
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