Mikel Arteta has told Ainsley Maitland-Niles he must knuckle down and do more if he wants a long-term future at Arsenal .
The versatile 22 year-old was starting at right-back when the Spaniard replaced Unai Emery at the Emirates, and with Hector Bellerin not fully fit, remained first choice in that role during the first month of Arteta’s reign.
But since playing the full 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on January 18, Maitland-Niles hasn’t started a single game for the Gunners.
Indeed, he has only made three substitute appearances in the last six weeks, all of which have only come in injury time.
In Monday night’s FA Cup tie at Portsmouth, Greek centre-back Sokratis was preferred as deputy to first-choice Bellerin, with Maitland-Niles again only appearing from the bench in the dying embers of the 2-0 win at Fratton Park.
Mainland-Niles prefers to play in midfield, but has struggled to make a case for himself as an option in the middle of the park, while in last week’s Under-23 fixture against Manchester City he was used at left back.
Speaking after Arsenal’s win over the League One side, Arteta was asked about Maitland-Niles’ absence, to which Arteta declared: “Ainsley needs to put his head down and work hard.
“Show me every day in training that he wants it more than anyone else, he wants to play for this club and fight for his place.”
Sokratis started at right-back and opened the scoring, before Eddie Nketiah sealed a quarter-final spot.
Quizzed on the ex-Borussia Dortmund defender being used on the right of the back four, Arteta joked: He [Sokratis] moans a little bit because it is not his position!
"But for certain games, he is very helpful and he always has the right attitude and he has the qualities to play there in essential moments when we need him."
