Mikel Arteta told to snub Arsenal star vs Man City and start ‘real handful’ in Carabao Cup final | OneFootball

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has been told to start a “real handful” against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.

The Gunners are currently mounting a challenge for an unprecedented quadruple, so they could achieve something really special this season.

The north London club is currently top of the Premier League and have reached the Carabao Cup final, while they are also in contention for the Champions League and FA Cup.

Arsenal will look to get the first trophy in the bag this weekend as they face Man City at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final.

Arteta’s side head into this match as the firm favourites, and ex-Man City star has told Arsenal to start Viktor Gyokeres over teammate Kai Havertz.

“They are two different players as well, so I think whoever he goes for, it’s going to be tough,” Dickov told The Metro.

“I think Kai Havertz, he’s maybe a false nine, he causes problems with positions, he’s very intelligent.

“But for me, being a centre-forward myself, I think Gyokeres would probably be the tougher to play against, because the one thing he does want to do is run in behind and that can be a real handful.

“City do play a high line, and Kai Havertz, as good as he is, isn’t really somebody that you’d associate with running into channels. He’ll pick up little pockets in between the midfielders and the centre-half, clever movement and get himself in the boxes.

“But Gyokeres likes to run the channels, likes to run in behind, and if there has been a criticism of City, it’s been the high line and that it’s maybe been too easy sometimes for teams to get in behind them.

“So from my own personal point of view, I would think Arteta should start Gyokeres, given the way City are likely to set up.”

There will also be the clamour for teenager Max Dowman to get more minutes after his star-making performance against Everton, but Dickov thinks Arteta will protect the 16-year-old for the remainder of this season and beyond.

“He’s obviously a wonderful, wonderful talent. Probably one of the best talents that England have had since Phil Foden at that age,” Dickov said of Dowman.

“He’s a talented, talented boy, but I think you’ve got to be very, very careful as well. I thought it was a wonderful moment him scoring the goal at the weekend, but you’ve just got to be very careful that it doesn’t get blown out of proportion too much.

“I think just the fact that he’s in and around the squad at Arsenal with the world-class players that they’ve got, the fact that he’s getting minutes on the pitch and he’s being trusted by Mikel Arteta shows you how good he is and how good he can be.

“But if anything, I think Mikel’s probably the right man. Mikel was there (at Man City) when Phil (Foden) was coming through, and I’m sure he’ll see comparisons, not just with how they play, but with the hype that’s surrounding them all and how to manage that.

“I don’t think he’s got any better person than Mikel to manage that, along with the players around him as well, because he’s going to need to be looked after.”