Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal’s performance in Wednesday’s 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Port Vale shows the depth he now has in his squad as he was able to make nine changes from Sunday’s Premier League draw with Manchester City.
Only William Saliba and Mikel Merino started both games, but Arteta still named a strong team at Vale Park with Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka in attack, Christian Norgaard making his first start for the club in the centre of midfield, and a debut in goal for Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Eze scored his first goal for the Gunners just eight minutes in and, although Arsenal struggled to turn their stranglehold on possession into clear chances against some stout defending from their League One hosts, they eventually got a decisive second through substitute Leandro Trossard in the 86th minute.
Summing up Arsenal’s performance, Arteta said: “It was something that we discussed before the game, what was at stake in this game was your reputation, as a club, as a team, as an individual.
A night he won't forget 💙
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 25, 2025
Eberechi Eze is your Player of the Match 👏 pic.twitter.com/hkz4RUxyvN
“We played these type of games, I’ve been here long enough to understand it’s going to be very tricky.
“I think we started the game really well, very dominant, scored a goal. We had another three or four opening chances that we didn’t manage to score the goal.
“In the second half we lost a little bit of grip of the game, especially with the direct play, with all the throw-ins to the sidelines and winning territory and then again. We lack a bit of dominance and control. With a few adjustments, we go back to that.
“We scored a beautiful goal, the second goal from Willy (Saliba, whose pass created the chance) and the quality of Leo on the finish is top draw. In general, happy with the win, the clean sheet and the debut of Kepa for us today.
“The goal of Ebz, his first for the club and then the fact that even making nine changes, the team can still perform really well.”
Saka, who is making his way back from a hamstring injury, played for just over an hour before making way for teenager Max Dowman.
“It was planned, 60 minutes was the maximum,” Arteta said. “We had four, almost five players already in the line-up that we had to get out for different reasons, especially load because they’re coming from long periods out.
“So we planned for that and the good thing is that nobody got injured, so he has no muscular issues. So that’s a very positive thing again.”
