Mikel Arteta Arsenal
Arsenal are gearing up for a crucial semi-final clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with the return leg scheduled for next month. The Gunners are eyeing a spot in the final at Wembley on March 22. Meanwhile, Newcastle United and Manchester City will face off in the other semi-final. Notably, Manchester City have taken advantage of a rule change that allows new signing Antoine Semenyo to participate, despite having played for Bournemouth in an earlier round. This rule change is available to all teams still competing in the Carabao Cup, including Arsenal. Selected fixtures will be broadcast free-to-air on ITV.
He said: “Yeah, it was nice to find out that rule had changed after finding out they’d signed him. I have to say that’s one rule change I probably wouldn’t be supportive of at this current moment. But Antoine’s had an incredible season. I’m a big admirer of his and he scored on his debut, so fair play to him. I think Man City have signed a very, very good player.”
The rule change, which allows players who have already played for another team in the competition to feature for a new club, could also benefit Arsenal. The Gunners have shown interest in Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, whose contract expires in June. If Arsenal decide to expedite their plans for Guehi, he could be eligible to play in the semi-final second leg or the final, should they progress. This eligibility also extends to the FA Cup, despite Guehi having played the full 90 minutes in Palace’s unexpected third-round loss to Macclesfield.
Ethan Nwaneri, an 18-year-old Arsenal prospect, recently returned to the starting XI against Portsmouth, marking his first appearance since early November. His performance was noted by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
Arteta said: “Well, that he deserves that, basically. Obviously, because of the strength of the squad and the players that are in the position, he hasn’t been able to play and today he’s done it.”
This rule change presents an intriguing opportunity for Arsenal, potentially allowing them to strengthen their squad in the latter stages of the competition. With Manchester City already capitalizing on this change, Arsenal could follow suit to bolster their chances of reaching the final.
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