Mikel Arteta has defended his use of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, insisting the Arsenal summer signings have been given enough opportunities. Eze completed a £67.5million move from Crystal Palace, while Madueke arrived from Chelsea for a fee in the region of £50m.
Both players harbour ambitions of making England's World Cup squad, but getting into Arsenal's starting lineup remains the immediate challenge. Eze has not played a single minute in the last three Premier League matches, while Madueke has started only five league games, with injury limiting him to just one start since September.
Arteta pointed to Eze's overall game time when questioned about his recent absence from the side. 'Ebs has played more games, more minutes than ever at this time. He's played 22 out of 28 games or something like this. He's never played that much football so we're on a good track,' Arteta said.
The recent form of Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard has made it particularly difficult for Eze and Madueke to break into the side. Arteta acknowledged the competition but dismissed concerns over playing time in a World Cup year. 'What they need to do is be prepared like they've been and when they have the opportunity to play, perform like any other player,' he added.
Arteta also noted that both players have faced challenges, with Madueke suffering a knee injury that stalled his momentum and Eze experiencing an inconsistent first half of the season aside from his hat-trick against Tottenham. 'The good thing is they want it so badly. The way they come in every single day and how much they want to give to the team is great to witness,' Arteta concluded.
