Arsenal vs Sunderland
The League Cup returned to our screens this week, entering the quarter-final stages.
With Manchester City already out of the competition, we are finally guaranteed to crown a new winner after several years.
The eight sides left in the competition this week were Arsenal, Sunderland, Brentford, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester, Tottenham and West Ham.
So, it is fair to say that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal got by far and away the easiest draw of this round, facing off with a League One outfit.
Despite this, Arsenal still fielded a fairly strong starting eleven, with a very stacked bench as well:
? TEAM NEWS!
??????? Balogun starts
?? Elneny in midfield
??????? Holding in defenceLet’s do this, Gunners! ?#CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/gfXagWG4oh
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 21, 2021
Arsenal confirm 3rd covid case
However, there were still a few players missing from the squad, two of which were Calum Chambers and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Unfortunately for Chambers, he has become the last Gunner to test positive for Covid-19, whilst Maitland-Niles is out with illness, though it is not covid related:
Chambers also positive for COVID for #AFC. Maitland-Niles is out due to illness though the club have specified it’s not COVID!
— Kaya Kaynak (@kayakaynak97) December 21, 2021
On the team selection this evening, Arteta had this to say:
“Ainsley was ill and Calum tested positive. We wanted to give some players minutes. In the case of Flo, [because of] his behaviour and performances for the U23s he deserves a chance.”
Arteta on team selection:
“Ainsley was ill and Calum tested positive. We wanted to give some players minutes. In the case of Flo, [because of] his behaviour and performances for the U23s he deserves a chance.”https://t.co/J45D4gytR3
— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley_) December 21, 2021
Chambers is the 3rd senior Arsenal player to have contracted covid over the last week, along with Pablo Mari and Albert Sambi Lokonga.