Jamie Carragher is "surprised" Mikel Arteta has continued to overlook William Saliba despite Arsenal's dismal start to the season.
Saliba, 19, is still waiting for his Gunners debut despite arriving in north London last summer following a £27million transfer from Saint-Etienne in 2019.
Arsenal boss Arteta explained last month that Saliba is going through a "transition" phase as the young Frenchman adapts to life in England.
But the centre-back made his frustration over his situation clear in a recent video, while he was sent off for the Under-21s earlier this week in the 3-0 Papa Johns Trophy defeat by AFC Wimbledon.
Given Arsenal's struggles this season, Carragher cannot understand why Arteta has not turned to Saliba and his other talented youngsters more often.
"Arteta can get on the right path by working with the top class youngsters emerging from his academy, assisted by the correct assortment of more experienced players," Carragher told The Daily Telegraph .
"Bukayo Saka is one of the most exciting young players in England.
"I am surprised we have not seen more of highly-rated teenage defender William Saliba since his signing from Saint-Etienne, even though the youngster was sent off playing for the club’s Under 21s earlier this week.
"Arteta must stake his reputation on them as he eases out those unsuited to the philosophy, building a younger, more active team over the course of two or three windows to correct the errors of the last five or six."
Former Liverpool and England defender Carragher also warned Arteta not to stray far from the counter-attacking formula which brought Arsenal great results last season.
He added: "Arteta impressed me last year because he was able to win by sacrificing certain ideals to reflect the limitations of the squad he inherited.
"The mistake this season has been in seeking to impose the possession-game of [Pep] Guardiola’s Manchester City every week when the quality is not there yet. The [2-0] defeat at Tottenham Hotspur was the grimmest example.
"Arteta knows that the reason Guardiola’s system works so brilliantly is every player works in synchronicity. There are no passengers and at their best work as tirelessly without the ball as with it."
Has Mikel Arteta made a mistake by not involving William Saliba in the first team this season? Have your say here.
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