Mateo Guendouzi was nowhere to be seen in Arsenal’s squad tonight.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed that tactical reasons were behind his decision to omit Mateo Guendouzi from the squad this afternoon.
The 20-year-old midfielder started and finished Arsenal’s 0-0 draw at Burnley before the international break but Arteta left him out entirely for the visit of Newcastle United today.
Fit-again Dani Ceballos partnered Granit Xhaka in the Gunners’ midfield, with Mesut Ozil a little further forward.
It was assumed that the young Frenchman was absent through injury if he was not included in the 18-man squad, but the Spanish head coach reveals that it was a tactical choice.
Asked by Sky Sports‘ Geoff Shreeves why he left out Guendouzi, Arteta simply said before kickoff: “It was a tactical decision.”
Considering Arteta’s side blew the Magpies away, you can’t argue that he was missed.
Arsenal picked up only their second Premier League win under their former midfielder by smashing Steve Bruce’s side 4-0 at the Emirates.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang got the scoring underway on 54 minutes, before Nicolas Pepe doubled the lead almost immediately afterwards.
And late goals from Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette – his first since Arteta took the reins nearly two months ago – sealed an emphatic win for the North Londoners.
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