Arsenal

BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club panel discussed Arsenal teenager Max Dowman and how the club will ensure he avoids "high-pressure situations too frequently" during his development.

Since making his competitive debut in the Premier League against Leeds in August, Mikel Arteta has resisted the temptation to rush Dowman into the team.

But he started the FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton on Saturday, in what was his fourth domestic cup appearance this season.

"The club have been really careful with Dowman for a couple of years to make sure he wasn't overexposed and to recognise the fact that he is only just 16," said The Observer's Rory Smith.

"There will be a temptation among fans to say he has no fear, he is completely free and there's no reason for him to think negatively.

"I think the club will be really conscious that you can't put him into intensely high-pressure situations too frequently. They have got to be really careful with him.

"Certainly if you find he's starting five or six games between now and the end of the season, it would be asking a lot of him. That's not to say he's not up to it and there is an argument that if he's good enough, he's old enough.

"But the club will be conscious of their duty of care to him in the long-term."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

Scarlet Katz Roberts
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Every time Arsenal get a bad result, the circus music that has threatened to soundtrack this season, rises a little higher. League Cup? Sure we didn't want it badly - brush off the circumstances of having been bullied by Manchester City in the second half - and you can accept a losing outing to Wembley.

OK, what about the FA Cup, the nation's most romantic trophy - and Arsenal's most successful competition? Nah, we didn't need it this year, we know what we really want. Besides, Southampton are the form team in the Championship, and we played a heavily rotated XI.

But, the music.

It just so happens that these two soft crunch games have arrived before the real crunch time kicks in. The big dilemma is what do we take from them?

The individual errors, the poor performances, ghosting on the big stage, should we be worried? A ball hasn't been kicked in the Premier League charge since Max Dowman ran the length of the Emirates pitch three weeks ago to bury Everton, and yet everything has changed.

Like the lead we've built in the Premier League, progressing deep in four competitions bought us a slip up or two. For example, we can lose at the Etihad and everything will still be fine (laughs nervously). The problem is that going out of the cups has stolen our margin for error.

Most Arsenal fans really only dream of seeing the Premier League held aloft by Eberechi Eze in the May sunshine at Selhurst Park, Bukayo Saka beaming on the upper deck of an open top bus cruising down Gillespie Road. Don't we all?

But oh how an early settler in Lisbon would help the mood.

Find more from Scarlet Katz Roberts at the Goal Difference podcast, external

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton has defended Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta for his team selection against Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Southampton on Saturday.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Sutton explained why Arteta was forced into making changes and why he would be "shocked" if it now impacts player confidence for the Premier League run-in.

"The EFL Cup final was the first team and the FA Cup team was essentially reserves and that is the big difference," said Sutton. "I have a bit of sympathy for Arteta because he clearly picked the wrong team, but he has to prioritise the Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon.

"I don't think it is going to affect the Premier League and I will be shocked if the players are feeling really nervous at this moment in time.

"Arsenal's fixtures [for the run-in] are a little bit more generous than Manchester City's so they have just got to keep their composure.

"People are looking for things and saying 'the wheels are coming off for Arsenal,' but the last team to drop points in the Premier League was Manchester City!"

However, The Observer's Rory Smith does not agree that choosing to play some of the 'reserves' is an excuse for the defeat when Arsenal have such a big squad.

"The one thing that has characterised Arsenal this season is their depth and that is the advantage they have on everyone else," said Smith. "We have been saying all season they have a squad that has two - or even three - players for every position.

"That seemed like it was a deliberate strategy to help them win a cup.

"They have built a squad to compete on four fronts so I'm not sure you can get knocked out of the FA Cup by a Championship team and then say 'it's fine because we played the fringe players.'"

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

Arsenal have the edge over Liverpool in the pursuit of RB Leipzig and Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, 19. (Caught Offside, external)

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Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

David Raya says Arsenal need to use the "pain" of their recent losses to pick up a positive result against Sporting and end the season in a strong way.

The Gunners come into the game having lost back-to-back games for the first time this season following losses to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup Final and Southampton in the quarter-final of the FA Cup.

Raya did not play either of those games himself as cup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was given the nod.

"It is a disappointing moment," Raya said.

"We just have to use that fuel and that pain that we had after the game to pick it up for the rest of the season. It starts tomorrow. That is the most important game."

Arsenal are nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and hope to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the second season in a row.

"I think we are in a really good position in both competitions," Raya said.

"It's that happiness that you have to have when you are out there playing. This is the most important part of the season now and we have to enjoy it."

Sporting head coach Rui Borges said that the Gunners are going to be like a "wounded beast" when the two sides line up on Wednesday night.

"It is a great team and great teams always want to win," Borges said.

"They want to be in all competitions. They will be like a wounded beast tomorrow. They will be more focused, more willing to show their collective and individual capacity.

"Frankly, I think it will make things more difficult for us the fact that they have not had the best two last matches.

"But Arsenal will be facing a very motivated team in us. We believe we can do something extraordinary tomorrow, something that has never been done by Sporting."

Huzaifah Khan
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Champions League game against Sporting CP at Estadio Jose Alvalade (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On the latest team news, Arteta confirmed defender Gabriel is fit after coming off with a knock in the defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup.

• He added Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard are available for the game. However, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber have not travelled, but he said: "Hopefully, they'll be ready for the weekend [against Bournemouth] if everything goes well."

• On whether there is added importance on this game after the back-to-back losses, he responded: "This is the quarter-finals of the Champions League, it doesn't get much better than that, and we worked so hard throughout this season to be in this position in the competition."

• Arteta said: "We're going to play an opponent where we know their record, we know about what they've done. I'm hungrier than ever, very excited and very, very motivated for tomorrow's game."

• When asked about people questioning the mentality of his side, Arteta said: "That's never going to change when you play at this level for this club.

• The Spaniard said the expectations mean his players must "live in the present" and "deliver it every day".

• On Viktor Gyokeres' return to his former club, he said the striker is "very excited" and "full of gratitude" to all those who helped him in Portugal.

• Also on Gyokeres' exploits in the international break, where he scored four goals to help Sweden reach the World Cup, Arteta said: "Those are the experiences you put in your veins", adding the moments will stick with him "for the rest of his career".

• On facing Sporting: "When you know what they have done at home, the way they have behaved in this Champions League, the opponents they have beaten, we know the difficulties of this match and that is why we want it even more."

Listen to full commentary of Arsenal v Sporting CP on Tuesday at 20:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

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Alex Howell
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City have been a thorn in Arsenal's side in their quest for silverware.

In two of Arsenal's three second-placed finishes in the Premier League, the Gunners have been behind Pep Guardiola's side.

City beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final with one of their best performances of the season and that seems to have galvanised them.

They put four past Liverpool in the FA Cup to reach the semi-finals earlier on Saturday, before the Gunners lost at Southampton in their last-eight tie.

Arsenal have to travel to Etihad Stadium in April, which is likely to play a big part in this season's title race.

"It was only a couple of weeks ago people were saying Arsenal could do the quadruple. Now they are in two competitions," said former Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards.

"Man City, after what they did earlier on [beating Liverpool in the FA Cup], look like they are going to push them all the way for the league.

"The most disappointing thing for me was watching Arsenal and their attitude. They have been excellent defensively, in transitions they have been very good, the shape has been good and the effort has been as good as anyone.

"For them to turn up the way they did, I thought was very poor."

Arsenal will hope this blip is only a footnote in what can still be a successful season - but the Gunners are going to have get back to their best, and quickly.

Read more here

Alex Howell
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal have not won the Premier League for 22 years and have finished in second place for three successive seasons.

The Carabao Cup final was Arsenal's first chance to win a major trophy for six years.

After losing to Manchester City and now being knocked out of the FA Cup by a lower-league team for the first time since 2021-22 - a third-round loss to Nottingham Forest - the Gunners need to ensure these defeats do not turn into a slump in form.

"They have to not let the season run away from them," former Arsenal and Southampton forward Theo Walcott told BBC Sport.

"Everything they have built this season, don't let it affect them. They have been in this situation before and they don't want to relive that."

Mikel Arteta has consistently spoken about everyone at the club's desire to win but with the end of the season approaching, games running out and a £250m spend in the summer, the pressure is at an all-time high.

Walcott said he noticed a "nervous energy" on the touchline at St Mary's that has been seen before in recent years.

"Visually watching Mikel on the sidelines, it was elements of previous years where that energy reflected into the team," he said.

"It was very tense. Not just Mikel but a lot of the staff were out there at times. It was like too many cooks in the kitchen, too many messages."

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final defeat at the hands of Championship Southampton.

Here are some of your comments:

Brian: Arteta gets what he deserves. The hype about a quadruple was fantasy. He sacrificed the FA Cup for the greater glories of the Premier League and Champions League. He has drilled his players to be slow and boring in their approach - all this 'to you, to me' passing without going anywhere is a difficult watch. The short corner routines achieved absolutely nothing. Even if Arsenal do win the league surely they will be remembered more for being the most boring side ever to win it.

Terry: Same old story, possession does not win games. Scoring goals is what matters. Missed chances do not count. The mentality has gone. Although not the best team were fielded this was a disaster. Can they recover to win the league? This manager needs more than help or he will be gone if no silverware this season.

Temi: This was a very bad night for everyone that loves this club. It's a signal that we might just go empty handed this season again without winning anything! If I may ask, where is the energy and determination of the first half with which this team had been playing before? I think Arteta should know that making us happy for a long period of the season only to break our minds at the end is not acceptable. Something needed to be done fast.

Nizzy: Only two players (Gabriel and Dowman) fit to wear the shirt. Hopefully with less fixture pressure we can finish strong in the Prem.

Dyfi: Absolute rubbish from the first kick. Well done Southampton. They were the better team by far. Some of the Arsenal players just think they need to turn up and the opposition will roll over. If it wasn't for the small amount of games left I think we'd lose the league too. Shameful, shocking display. Hang your heads.

Image source, Getty Images

Mikel Arteta's approach to Arsenal's past two games - the Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City and FA Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of Championship Southampton - has been the subject of debate on the latest episode of BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"I think this is the end of the cycle for Arteta," said former Premier League goalkeeper Rob Green.

"This is do or die for him.

"You watched how City went about them without the ball, and then you watched how Southampton went about them off the ball as well. He didn't come up with an answer in either."

The Telegraph's Luke Edwards responded: "Has he been found out? Is there a blueprint there?

"Possibly, but I'm always wary of saying anybody has been found out.

"I know what you're saying - teams will now try to do that to Arsenal. I think they are more a victim of trying to win all four and going deep into all four competitions, even though they have the best squad in the country, I believe.

"Just going for all four - they have a few injury problems. I don't think they have been found out.

"I'm sticking with Arsenal to win the Premier League title.

"They have a shot at generational glory to become the first Arsenal team to win the Premier League in 20 years and compete for the Champions League."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Arsenal are among the clubs who have been contacted about the potential availability of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr, 25. (Teamtalk), external

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Alex Howell
Football reporter

This was always going to be a difficult game for Arsenal on the back of their Carabao Cup final loss, with obvious fitness issues in their ranks and Southampton in fine form.

All the same, this was a poor performance from Mikel Arteta's side.

They did not create many serious opportunities and it was often 16-year-old Max Dowman who provided the most threat when the Gunners were going forward.

Arsenal never quite got to grips with Southampton's plan to play long balls behind the defence, and the fact key centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes went off with an injury just compounded a bad night.

Another trophy opportunity slipped away with this result, and Arsenal will be perceived by many to be wobbling.

They must refocus. Arsenal remain in a commanding position going into the closing weeks in the Premier League, nine points clear of Manchester City, and they travel to Portugal in the coming week to play Sporting in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Arteta's challenge is to ensure that costly back-to-back defeats do not signal the start of an even more serious slump that will leave his team without a trophy of any kind come the end of the campaign.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking to BBC Sport: "We have to congratulate Southampton. They are in Wembley, we are not.

"We didn't manage the long balls well enough. We just let the ball through us. Difficult to explain but credit to them.

On how he picks his players up: "They have already done it in the dressing room."

On Gabriel's injury: "He couldn't continue so we have to assess him."

On if the likes of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka will return for the Champions League: "I hope we can recover some players we are missing."

On back-to-back defeats: "In the season you have to go through periods. Some of them are difficult for whatever reason. Now we have two very disappointing results and we have to pick ourselves up. Now we have to show what we are made of and the way to do that is on the pitch and not here."

On how he keeps out the outside noise: "It's always been like this from the beginning of the season when the expectations on your team are so high. That's what you have to expect and live with in a natural way. Nobody is going to set the demands and standards higher than us that's for sure."

Did you know?

• Arsenal have lost back-to-back games in all competitions for the first time this season, while it's the first time they've been knocked out of the FA Cup by a team from a lower division since 2021-22 since losing to Nottingham Forest in the third round.

• The Gunners conceded 2 or more goals against a team from a lower division for the first time since losing 4-2 against Forest in the FA Cup in January 2018.

• Viktor Gyokeres has scored 17 goals in all competitions this season, the most by a player in their debut campaign for Arsenal since Alexandre Lacazette in 2017-18 (17). The last player to score more in their first season for the Gunners was Alexis Sanchez in 2014-15 (25).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

What did you make of Arsenal's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Tonda Eckert is hoping his Southampton side can pull off an FA Cup shock against Arsenal. The Saints are currently on a 14 match unbeaten run and are full of confidence.

Southampton starting XI: Peretz, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Manning, Bragg, Jander, Fellows, Azaz, Scienza, Stewart.

Subs: Long, Quashie, Romeu, Charles, Edozie, Robinson, Archer, Oyekunle, Larin.

Mikel Arteta names a strong side despite a number of injury issues for the Gunners. Centre back Gabriel starts despite pulling out of the Brazil squad during the international break. Martin Odegaard makes his first start since January with 16-year-old Max Dowman also in the starting XI.

Arsenal starting XI: Kepa, White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Odegaard, Havertz, Dowman, Martinelli, Jesus

Subs: Raya, Saliba, Gyokeres, Madueke, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Harriman-Annous, O'Neil, Salmon.