Mikel Arteta now needs to start 23-year-old Arsenal star in Champions League clash

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Arsenal are set to face RC Lens tonight in their second Champions League group stage match, and with a huge game against Manchester City on the horizon, Mikel Arteta may be tempted to rotate his squad.

A win on the road could set Arsenal up well for the rest of the group stage, having beaten PSV Eindhoven 4-0 in the first outing since returning to the competition after a six-year absence, but Arteta will be cautious about injuries ahead of Sunday’s match.

This could see a number of backup players being handed a start, and defender Jakub Kiwior should now be given an opportunity at left-back.

Kiwior should replace Zinchenko against Lens

Kiwior has started just two games in all competitions this season, with one coming at left-back whilst Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu were both absent, and one at centre-back in the Carabao Cup victory over Brentford last week.

The 23-year-old was particularly impressive against Brentford, and it is clear that he deserves more game time to continue his development.

Tomiyasu replaced Zinchenko as a substitute in Saturday’s victory over Bournemouth, and whilst the Ukranian is a crucial player, he will be even more important for Sunday’s match against his former side, and should perhaps be rested tonight.

Kiwior can rotate in for him in what promises to be a fiery atmosphere in France, and will aim to keep Arsenal’s impressive defensive record away from home going, with the Gunners yet to concede on the road this season.

Kiwior’s chance

The defender joined the club last January, and whilst he has impressed in most of his appearances, he has struggled for game time given that he is competing with Gabriel Magalhaes and Zinchenko on the left-hand side.

Gaining a start in what is an important game in the Champions League will be a good test to see whether he is ready to play more regularly, and if he can put in a solid defensive performance, he will hope to force his way into Arteta’s thinking for the rest of the group matches.

Zinchenko missed the start of the season with injury, and resting him for the away trip could be a good move to ensure he is fully fresh to take on his old side.