Port Vale manager shares what he told his team immediately after seeing Arsenal’s starting XI

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Port Vale manager Darren Moore has given an insight into how his team reacted to seeing Arsenal’s starting XI.

Arsenal beat Port Vale 2-0 in a tough game to kick off the Carabao Cup campaign. 

Goals from Eberechi Eze and Leandro Trossard settled the result, with Arsenal set to play Brighton and Hove Albion in the next round.

Mikel Arteta’s side had to grind for the result at Vale Park, despite fielding an incredibly strong team to face the League One outfit. 

• READ MORE: Max Dowman was spotted doing something really unique just before Port Vale vs Arsenal

How Port Vale manager Darren Moore reacted to seeing Arsenal’s team sheet

Myles Lewis-Skelly impressed against Port Vale in one of several changes Arteta made to his starting XI.

There were a few surprises among the starters, however, as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze and William Saliba began the game.

It might’ve come as a shock to Darren Moore’s Port Vale side; however, there was a different emotion that took over the hosts’ dressing room pre-match.

Speaking to Port Vale TV after the game, Moore revealed what he said to his players upon seeing Arsenal’s team sheet. 

“When we saw the team sheet, I said to the boys that there’s huge, undoubtable respect from Mikel and the football club, in terms of bringing the team that they’ve brought up here.”

Port Vale admired the respect Arteta showed the opposition, with all credit going to the League One side, who made it a difficult game for the Gunners to win.

Mikel Arteta complimentary of ‘unbelievable’ Port Vale

It wasn’t only Moore who wanted to applaud the opposition, but Arteta too, who gave a nod to how high the standard the football in the English football pyramid is.

“Unbelievable how tough it is, and when you look at last night, Liverpool and Chelsea, and how long it took them to actually win the game,” Arteta said in his post-match press conference.

“You know that you have to expect that if something different happens, great. But you know that you’re going to have to really earn the right to win games here.” 

Arsenal did earn the right to win, dominating possession and dictating the tempo of the game, but that didn’t mean that Port Vale didn’t cause problems.

The hosts were difficult to break down, allowing Arsenal to have only four shots on target in 90 minutes.

It was a test for Arsenal, just as it was for Port Vale, with all eyes now on how the Gunners adapt to returning to Premier League action.