'He has to play': Some Arsenal fans think £40k-a-week ace would've made big difference yesterday

A number of Arsenal fans have been discussing last night’s 3-1 loss to Liverpool and wishing Mikel Arteta had given Bukayo Saka game time for the Gunners.

The 19-year-old, who started in the League Cup victory over Leicester last week, made way for Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the starting XI.

With Maitland-Niles as left wing-back, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the left side of attack and Willian on the right, Saka had to make do with a spot on the bench.

(Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

During the game, Arteta opted to bring Nicolas Pepe on for Willian in the 69th minute – with Arsenal 2-1 down at that stage – but the Frenchman had little impact.

Come full time, some Arsenal fans wondered why Saka wasn’t given game time by Arteta on the night, thinking he’d have made more of an impact either in the XI or at least off the bench.

Appalling. Wish Saka had come on instead.
— Nicky Williams. (@NickyWill247) September 28, 2020

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Arteta’s reluctance to play Saka in big games is worrying. All this work rate FC without sauce 😒 pic.twitter.com/vucnrVkQ2R
— Karabo_afc🇿🇦 (@_kaysway_) September 28, 2020

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I’d much rather play Auba up front with Saka on the left
— NG (@NextGenAFC) September 28, 2020

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Should’ve taken Saka for Laca and played Auba up front. Nketiah needs someone to cross for him and Auba clearly wasn’t working out wide #afc #LIVARS
— Mikko (@Mikkony) September 28, 2020

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We should also try this Auba at CF thing sometimes… With so much of our attack down the left going to waste with AMN, Saka would have been decent…
— DaygeeDr (@DaygeeDr) September 28, 2020

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Saka would have been nice in that free space on the left.
— Arsène Cross♣ (@don_cross_AFC) September 28, 2020

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Arteta should really have trusted saka, Gabriel and ceballos today instead of willian, AMN and Luiz. We lost when lineup came.
— AFC Sparta (@FplSparta) September 28, 2020

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Exactly , Saka has been non stop contribution to goals. He has to play
— MO (@raptorAFC) September 28, 2020

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It’s really not hard, move Aubameyang to centre forward where he’s meant to be and play Bukayo Saka left wing, hope tonight’s performance shows how isolated Auba is on the left when man marked, unfortunately Arteta got it tactically wrong tonight including selection, we go again. https://t.co/gSXdgNUjMt
— 🔙🔛🔝 (@WaiteReggie) September 28, 2020

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Saka was one of Arsenal’s best players last season, clocking up 38 appearances in all competitions, with four goals and 11 assists under his belt in 2019-20.

This term, the versatile £40,000-a-week ace has made three appearances in all competitions, but has played in just one of Arsenal’s three Premier League games so far.

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‘He has to play’: Some Arsenal fans think £40k-a-week ace would’ve made big difference yesterday

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‘He has to play’: Some Arsenal fans think £40k-a-week ace would’ve made big difference yesterday