Ian Wright now believes Mikel Arteta simply had to start £16m Arsenal man vs Chelsea

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Ian Wright has admitted that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta simply had to start Takehiro Tomiyasu on Saturday against Chelsea.

Speaking on his own podcast, the Arsenal legend was reviewing a tough clash at Stamford Bridge for the Gunners.

There weren’t too many surprises in Mikel Arteta’s starting line-up at the weekend.

Jorginho struggled with the pace of the game but after his performance against Manchester City before the international break, it would have been harsh to have dropped him.

The back four was very familiar from last season and with Aaron Ramsdale unavailable, David Raya maintained his place in goal.

However, Chelsea were all over Arsenal in the first half and left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko was hooked at the break after picking up a booking for a foul on Mykhaylo Mudryk.

Takehiro Tomiyasu was the man brought off the bench for Arsenal but Ian Wright has insisted the £16m man should have started.

The Japanese international has only started once in the league and was sent off against Crystal Palace that evening.

Alongside Kai Havertz, Wright feels the 24-year-old had to be in the starting line-up at the weekend.

Wright insists Tomiyasu should have started vs. Chelsea

Speaking about Arsenal’s starting line-up, Wright said: “Can I be honest? I’m thinking with Mikel [Arteta] for me in that situation, again you’ve got to recognise that game.

“[Takehiro] Tomiyasu starts that game for me. I was just very surprised that in that game where I believed with [Raheem] Sterling in his form as well, you have to dampen it down.

“So, Tomiyasu starts for me.

“And I don’t know why Kai [Havertz] didn’t start because I’m thinking to myself, we can’t have the running, it’s not working, we can’t get the ball to turn and run.

“Havertz for me should have started. When a player has left the club and he’s gone to a rival club and then when you go back they don’t start you, that’s the time to start you.

“I was devastated that Kai didn’t start because you naturally have something in you that you’re going to do something.

“You could see the time he was on, he caused them problems just by being a focal point.”

Wright may get his wish tomorrow when Arsenal face Sevilla after Tomiyasu missed out against Chelsea.

He started the Gunners’s last match in the Champions League although they did fall to their only defeat of the season against Lens.

The Spanish side will pose a tough task and the likes of Erik Lamela, Dodi Lukebakio and Lucas Ocampos will be licking their lips at the thought of running into the space that Zinchenko leaves when he moves into midfield.

Arteta has never been a manager to drastically change his tactics or team selection based on the opposition Arsenal are facing.

However, the drastic difference in attributes between Zinchenko and Tomiyasu means he’s got a big decision to make.