Eberechi Eze looks set to receive the sustained run in Arsenal’s starting XI that he has been waiting for after Bukayo Saka’s latest injury setback.
The England international has struggled to establish himself as an automatic starter under Mikel Arteta this season, starting just once in Arsenal’s opening seven Premier League matches.
But with Saka now facing weeks on the sidelines, the 28-year-old has suddenly been handed a major opportunity to change the direction of his season.
Eze is set for extended run at Arsenal
According to Football Insider, Eze is expected to receive more starts following Saka’s quadriceps injury.
Eze has scored twice since the international break, including an excellent goal after replacing Saka just 10 minutes into Arsenal’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Bayern Munich.
Football Insider reports that Arteta remains impressed by Eze despite his limited league starts and does not believe there has been a major concern over the player internally.
Saka, meanwhile, missed Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Everton, with Arteta confirming that the winger is likely to be sidelined for “weeks”. Swelling around the affected muscle has made the exact recovery period difficult to establish.
Eze remains happy at Arsenal and has no intention of looking for a move despite his reduced role.
Eze finally has the chance to make himself indispensable
This feels like a crucial period for Eze.
His talent has never really been questioned. The bigger issue has been finding a defined role in Arteta’s structured system.
At Crystal Palace, everything often went through Eze. At Arsenal, he shares attacking responsibility with Saka, Martin Ødegaard and several other creative players.
Saka’s absence changes the equation. Eze now has an opportunity to start regularly, build rhythm and prove he can influence games without needing the freedom he enjoyed at Palace.
His goals against Lille and Bayern suggest confidence is already returning. The next step is consistency.
If Eze delivers during Saka’s absence, Arteta may face a very different problem once his star winger returns: finding a way to keep both players in the starting XI.
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