Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he only had 16 players available to him for the Europa League trip to Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night, with first team regulars forced to play more minutes than he would like
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal picked up yet another win on Thursday night (Picture: Getty Images)
Arteta fielded a changed team, with the likes of Matt Turner, Rob Holding, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah coming in, while the likes of Saka, Ben White, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba also started.
On the bench in Norway were the likes of Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsdale, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Magalhaes, Cedric Soares, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Martinelli, Marquinhos and few Arsenal youngsters.
Arsenal only have two priorities. One, to win the game. Two, to avoid any injuries. On both counts here, Arsenal were successful.
Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal ensured a third win in three Europa League group games so far, and on first impressions there were no medical issues for any players subjected to the carpet-like surface.
Bukayo Saka’s first-half strike ends Bodo/Glimt’s run of 14 European wins in a row at home.Getty Images)
“Well we knew that it was going to be really complicated. Again I repeat myself, that it’s 14 games that they have won consecutively here. So I think we have to play at a different level today. But the team selection was as well because of some other issues that we have with other players that they could not start today”
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Emile Smith Rowe and Mohamed Elneny remain injured, while Gabriel Jesus was left at home to rest and Arteta says that he was left with just 16 first team players he could choose from.
‘This is the squad that we had, we had 16 players available,’ Arteta told a press conference.
‘I have to play 11 and I don’t want those 11 to play 90 minutes here because I know probably what is going to happen in the next day or two.
‘If they get injured here for sure we’ll be saying that we shouldn’t have risked a player. At the end, they have to play.’
Arsenal are atop the group with nine points, while PSV Eindhoven sit second on seven points and Glimt are in third with four, having played one more game than the other teams in the group.
Arsenal return to action on Sunday against Leeds United at Elland Road. Arteta will be aiming for perfect points as they look to hold on to top spot in the table.