Arsenal defender Rob Holding started his first game after a long-time win against Oxford United. The win also helped them qualify for the next round of the FA Cup.
However, Rob Holding played well in the game and did not look out of place. Although, the Gunners have said that they are open to selling the English defender for the right price in January.
ARSENAL EASILY QUALIFY FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF THE FA CUP
Arsenal progressed to the 4th round of the FA Cup after winning 3-0 against Oxford United. The Gunners had a mix of first-team and the fringe players starting the game. A clean sheet in the game also means that Matt Turner has 4 clean sheets in his 5 starts for the Gunners. However, the Gunners got a scare after Bukayo Saka went down with an injury. However, Mikel Arteta has said that he is fit for their next derby game against Tottenham Hotspur.
Mikel Arteta has also praised the performance of Fabio Viera after the game. He further said,
“He has the quality. Fabio is a really creative player, and he can decide games in the final third. He made a difference.”
The Arsenal manager also praised the goalscoring capabilities of Eddie Nketiah. He also pointed out that his brilliant form will help Gabriel Jesus get maximum time to recover from his injury. Another player that might have impressed Arteta would be defender Rob Holding.
ROB HOLDING GETS A START FOR THE GUNNERS AFTER A LONG TIME
Mikel Arteta also gave Rob Holding his first start after a long time. His last start was against Brighton in their 3-1 loss in the Carabao Cup. The Arsenal manager had made it clear that he would start the game. Before the match, Arteta said,
“Rob in particular has been exceptional well because he’s always there the way he trains when you need him for 15/20 minutes to close a game, he’s always been there and available,” Arteta said.“When you have the opportunity, when you behave like that, you are ready to give your best and hopefully that will be the case on Monday.”
It is clear in the recent league games that Rob Holding is not in the long-term plans of Mikel Arteta. It is generally William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes starting most of the games. Whereas in substitution, Ben White plays as a center back, and Tomiyasu slots in the right-back. Hence, Arsenal must find a solution that benefits both sides. A report also claims that a number of mid-table Premier League clubs are also monitoring his situation. However, they are all willing to do a loan deal with an option to buy in the next summer transfer window.
Arsenal are also open to accepting such offers. However, they want his full wages covered by the loan club for the remainder of the season. Hence, the English defender will have to reduce his wages a little to get regular game time. Fulham, Aston Villa, and Brighton are monitoring the situation of Rob Holding.
Follow us on Twitter to get regular football updates.
