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      Arsenal and Liverpool missed out on Erling Haaland when he was youngster at Molde after thinking he was ‘target man’

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      LIVERPOOL and Arsenal turned Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland down when he started out at Molde because they thought he was a “target man”.Haaland has been on fire at City ever since his £51million move from Borussia Dortmund as he has already registered a staggering 12 goals and one assist in eight matches across all competitions.
      Liverpool and Arsenal had the chance to sign Manchester City star Erling HaalandCredit: Rex
      But things could have turned out differently as the Reds and the Gunners were offered the star striker when he was 17 years old and starting out in Norway.
      That is according to Molde’s former chief scout John Vik, who claims English clubs, such as Liverpool and Arsenal, were strongly advised to snatch the Norway international before it was too late.
      But none of them listened to Vik, who worked under former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the time, because they thought he was too big for a centre-forward
      Now, the former scout insists they must all be “kicking themselves” amid the Norwegian’s ongoing success.
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      Vik told The Athletic: “I think they [English scouts] looked at him as a target man because he was so big.
      “I kept telling them, ‘He’s not a target man – if you’re going to judge him that way, you’re going to be disappointed’, I remember one occasion when the team were out in Spain.
      “I was with some of my colleagues from Premier League clubs and I remember saying, ‘I have to repeat myself, guys, don’t judge him as a target man, you have to look beyond that. He runs in between, he chases space, he’s fantastic in the box, he’s that kind of player’.
      “I was thinking to myself, ‘Am I the guy who is getting it wrong? Am I seeing this the wrong way?’.
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      “But there has always been this perception with some English clubs that a striker needs to look a certain way, and that a centre-half needs to look a certain way, and you need a certain frame for a certain role.
      “When they were seeing a big striker like Erling, they were seeing a target man and I think they forgot to look at what else he could do.
      “Liverpool could have got him. Arsenal could have got him. Everyone was there to watch him but these clubs were seeing a No9 who was tall and broad and, ‘Oh, he’s going to be a target man’.
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      Erling Haaland attracted interest when he started out at Molde as a youngsterCredit: Getty
      Liverpool and Arsenal turned Erling Haaland down because they thought he was a “target man”Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      “I couldn’t for the life of me see why they had narrowed him down that way. I didn’t like him with his back towards the goal and, at the time, he couldn’t really head the ball.
      “I liked it when he turned round, when he chased into pockets, when he ran between the lines, his movement in the box.
      “He didn’t want to hold the ball up, he just wanted to turn and go. There will be a lot of clubs kicking themselves because we can all see now what he is good at.” More

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      ‘There’s no weakness’ – Arsene Wenger backs Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal for unlikely Premier League title challenge

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      ARSENE WENGER has broken his Arsenal silence and backed Mikel Arteta’s team to launch an unlikely title challenge.The most successful manager in the club’s history has never been back to the Emirates since his brutal sacking in 2018 and has steadfastly refused to comment on the team he left behind.
      Arsene Wenger has backed Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to lead a Premier League chargeCredit: Reuters
      But now the 72-year-old Frenchman has opened up on the current state of play and cannot hide his admiration for the job being done by Arteta.
      Wenger said: “I would say they are moving in the right direction. I honestly think there is no weak position in the team… they are young, promising players and they have bought well this year.
      “There is no completely dominating team this season and Arsenal has a chance with the potential that is there.
      “We used to be in the top four and why not again? You cannot even rule out the fact that they can fight for the title and hopefully they can do it.”
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      Wenger, who won three league titles and seven FA Cups during his 22-year Arsenal reign, was speaking at an evening with David Dein to help the club’s former vice-chairman promote his new book, Calling The Shots.
      And even though Arteta has led Arsenal to the top of the table after replacing Unai Emery three years ago, Wenger is not planning to return to the Emirates any time soon.
      He added: “I haven’t been there since 2018.
      “After 22 years as manager, maybe I arrived at the end of the road and people wanted a change. 
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      “The club had chosen a different direction and I can understand that completely. Sometimes you need to have a completely new staff and my presence there could have been a problem.
      “So I stayed away completely to give the club the chance to rebuild a new connection with a new manager.
      “That’s why I never talked about Arsenal and never came back to the Emirates because I didn’t want to be a presence that is maybe not good for the club.
      “But I still feel that my life is definitely linked with Arsenal so now I support them from my TV and I am also very busy travelling the world for Fifa.”
      Yet Wenger, who is now Fifa’s chief of global football development, is understandably proud of the work he did alongside Dein at Arsenal.
      He said: “Even above the trophies, the most important thing you generate at the club is values. On that front, David and I were on the same wavelength.
      Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has enjoyed a strong start this seasonCredit: Getty
      “I look from the distance of time and we both left the club in good shape. We were the first to build a new training centre, the first to build a new stadium and the first to pay back the debt.
      “When I arrived in the Premier League, all the ownership was English. Today we have 58 American people who own football clubs in Europe.
      “You would not have believed that 25 years ago. European football is now in the hands of American people who back then didn’t even know the rules.
      “Football has changed. It has become of worldwide interest and the Premier League is the place where you have the biggest love for football and also the economic power.
      “They have created a world brand that makes everyone want to come to England, but there is a threat because the other countries will not remain silent and the clubs will respond.
      “This summer, the net spending on transfers in England was £1.4billion. The rest of the other four big leagues was less than £200million. The difference in financial power is absolutely huge.” More

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      Arsenal’s clash against Man City in doubt as Gunners look to avoid forfeiting Europa League match against PSV Eindhoven

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      ARSENAL may have to postpone their top of the table clash with Manchester City next month – to accommodate their re-arranged fixture with PSV Eindhoven.The Gunners have been forced to call off their Europa League fixture against the Dutch club on Thursday due to concerns of policing following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
      Arsenal may have to postpone their match with Man City next monthCredit: AP
      The Gunners need to accommodate their re-arranged fixture with PSV EindhovenCredit: Reuters
      They now have to find an alternative date or face forfeiting the game – and with the World Cup looming they are running out of options.
      City boss Pep Guardiola revealed there is some doubt over whether the trip to the Emirates – scheduled for Wednesday, October 19 – will go ahead.
      Asked about a possible fixture pile-up due to last weekend’s games being postponed, Guardiola said: “Always the fixtures were so tight every season.
      “Now it’s different because we stop – not the players but the backroom staff are going to stop and have a break in winter time like how it normally is in Germany – and afterwards we’ll see how they come back.
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      “After the international break, we’ll have a one month and half with a lot of games.
      “We have seven Premier League games, five games at home, it depends if the Arsenal game will be postponed or not.
      “Then the World Cup. And after we’ll see how the players come back from the World Cup, especially their moods – good moods, bad moods, after what happened with their international teams.
      “After that, in the last three or four months of competition, we do all we can to be there at the end.”
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      Another possibility could be for Arsenal to move their Carabao Cup third round tie with Brighton – due to be played on November 8 – until after the World Cup.
      However the draw for the knock-out stages of the Europa League is due to take place the day before that – so Uefa would want all group games to be completed before then.
      Arsenal are currently top of the table while champions City are just a point behind after the first six games of the season. More

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      Arsenal confident they will NOT have to forfeit PSV clash in Europa League and will re-arrange tie after postponement

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      ARSENAL are optimistic they won’t have to forfeit their postponed Europa League clash against PSV Eindhoven.The Gunners’ group stage match with PSV had to be rearranged due to lack of police resources as forces have been redeployed to work on The Queen’s state funeral on Monday.
      Arsenal’s Europa League fixture with PSV Eindhoven has been postponedCredit: Getty
      Arsenal are confident they can rearrange their game with PSV EindhovenCredit: AP
      The North Londoners were scheduled to take on the Dutch side at the Emirates on Thursday but had to be called off just like other London fixtures.
      That has created quite the headache for Arsenal as there there is no available date to play the game before the group stage is due to end on November 3 before the World Cup.
      UEFA regulations dictate that Mikel Arteta’s side must find a new date to stage the fixture or forfeit the game.
      According to the Evening Standard, however, Arsenal are confident they can find a solution to the matter as they continue negotiating with the relevant authorities.
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      The Gunners only seem to have two realistic options to fix this conundrum.
      The first is to rearrange their Premier League game with Manchester City on October 19.
      The other is to move their Carabao Cup third-round tie against Brighton, which takes place on November 8.
      The responsibility to find a new date solely falls on Arsenal as they are the home team.
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      But UEFA will also do everything they can to accommodate a potential solution for the Europa League fixture.
      Premier League clubs already faced a packed fixture schedule this season due to the winter’s World Cup in Qatar.
      But last weekend’s unexpected break and subsequent postponements have made things even more complex. More

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      Arsenal joined by Liverpool in Douglas Luiz transfer race with Jurgen Klopp interested in Aston Villa midfielder

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      ARSENAL have been joined by Liverpool in the race to sign Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, according to reports.The Gunners tried to sign the 24-year-old in the latter stages of the summer transfer window amid a midfield injury crisis.
      Luiz is a transfer target of Arsenal AND LiverpoolCredit: Getty
      However, Arsenal were unable to land boss Mikel Arteta’s target.
      And now they could face competition from Liverpool for Luiz’s signature in future transfer windows.
      According to The Express, the Reds registered their interest in the summer, like Arsenal.
      But no official move was made for the Brazil star, who has less than 12 months on his contract.
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      Despite signing Juventus’ Arthur Melo on loan, Liverpool could revisit Luiz in January.
      And midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be used as bait to tempt Villa into selling before they lose him for FREE next summer.
      A move to play under former England team-mate Steven Gerrard at Villa could be an exciting prospect for Oxlade-Chamberlain.
      Ox has previously admitted Gerrard is his “idol”.
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      He said while playing for Arsenal in 2017: “I’ve always wanted to be Steven Gerrard, so I’ve still got a hope of that.”
      Oxlade-Chamberlain has had his fair share of injury struggles over the years.
      And the Liverpool ace is currently enduring a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
      He is yet to make a first-team appearance for Jurgen Klopp’s side this term.
      Like Luiz, his contract expires next summer. More

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      From the Queen’s love of Arsenal to King Charles being a surprise BURNLEY fan: Who are the Royals’ football teams?

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      THOUGH Royals are supposed to remain politically neutral, there’s no decree that stops them from showing their bias towards their chosen football teams.Prince William isn’t shy to express his love for Aston Villa and can be found punching the air at home and away games at the sight of a goal.
      The Queen with former Arsenal manager Arsene WengerCredit: Getty
      William is also the President of the English FA, and in the summer of 2021, like most around the country he roared the Three Lions on as they came close to winning their first major tournament since 1966.
      King Charles III also likes teams in claret and has a VIP season ticket at Burnley.
      But there’s still mystery surrounding who the late Queen Elizabeth II supported.
      It had been widely reported The Queen was a West Ham fan, continuing the royal obsession with clubs in a certain shade of purple.
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      However, Arsenal are also said to have had a special place in Her Majesty’s heart.
      And despite trying to stay neutral, The Queen let slip who she supported on a number of occasions.
      So, who do the Royals support?
      North or East London, Your Majesty?
      Mystery still surrounds who Queen Elizabeth II supported.
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      The longest-serving monarch in British history was sure to have seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to top-flight football.
      And if reports are correct, The Queen, like many Arsenal fans endured an 18-year league trophy drought up until her death last Thursday, and watched on as Arsene Wenger’s glorious 22-year reign come to a bitter end in 2018.
      Former Arsenal midfielder, Cesc Fabregas, has insisted that the late Queen was an Arsenal fan.
      The Queen once invited Arsenal to Buckingham Palace in 2007.
      Fabregas claims Her Majesty told him of her love for Arsenal.
      He told Spanish radio: “It seems the Queen follows football and she told us she was an Arsenal fan.
      “She appeared to definitely know who I was and we exchanged a few special words.”
      The Evening Standard also quoted a royal source at the time who said: “Her Majesty has been fond of Arsenal for over 50 years.”
      The Queen met Arsenal’s players in 2007 at Buckingham PalaceCredit: PA:Press Association
      Ex-Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas (left) says The Queen admitted to being an Arsenal fanCredit: Getty
      A minute’s silence was held last Thursday in Zurich ahead of the second half of Arsenal’s Europa League gameCredit: Getty
      However, The Queen also has ties to West Ham.
      The Queen is said to have openly expressed her support for West Ham at Buckingham Palace in a chat with staff.
      Like many Hammers fans who wince at the mentioning of bitter rivals Millwall, The Queen involved herself in a conversation with staff after one revealed he was a supporter of the South London club.
      The Mirror quote a Windsor Castle source as saying: “The Queen has never wanted people to know who she supports because she wants to be seen to be neutral.
      “But she gave up her secret after overhearing one of her staff members saying he was a Millwall fan and was talking to another member of staff about the derby between West Ham and their arch rivals.
      “They were quite shocked – after all, she’s not exactly your typical West Ham fan.”
      The Queen also had an admiration for legendary West Ham boss Ron Greenwood.
      She also presented England and West Ham icon Bobby Moore with the Jules Rimet trophy following the 1966 World Cup final win at Wembley over West Germany.
      The Queen with ex-West Ham and England ace Joe Cole at Upton ParkCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Queen Elizabeth II presenting England captain Bobby Moore with the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966 after the World Cup final win over West GermanyCredit: AP:Associated Press
      West Ham fans belted out God Save the Queen before kick-off against FCSB last ThursdayCredit: Rex
      King Charles Burn-ed by relegation
      King Charles III revealed he was a fan of Burnley in 2012.
      He was handed a VIP season ticket and invited to watch his favourite team from the Directors’ Box after speaking highly of the club at a dinner for the British Asian Trust at Windsor Castle.
      King Charles, 73, who had been doing charity work in the area, said: “A consortium of my charities, including the British Asian Trust, has been working in Burnley.
      “Hence, some of you asked this evening whether I support a British football club and I said ‘yes – Burnley’.
      “And people have responded, ‘Burnley?’ Oh yes, because Burnley has been through some very challenging times and I’m trying to find ways of helping to regenerate and raise aspirations and self-esteem in that part of the world.
      “My charities have been working there together to demonstrate that an integrated approach can produce the best dividends.”
      And The King was undoubtedly upset when Burnley faced yet more “challenging times” when they were relegated from the Premier League last season.
      But the Clarets could make a swift return to the top flight after a positive start to the Championship season.
      Although, King Charles may not get much time to watch Burnley after taking up his new role.
      King Charles admitted to supporting Burnley in 2012Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      The King has a VIP season ticket at the Championship clubCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Royal Villan
      Prince William is a Royal Villan and he isn’t shy of showing his allegiance to the historic Midlands club.
      The Prince of Wales, 40, attends Aston Villa games when he has time, and can be seen punching the air from home and away grounds as the goals fly in for his team.
      Today’s Villa are a shadow of the European Cup-winning Villa of old.
      But William is glad to be aboard the “emotional rollercoaster” of supporting a mid-table team.
      He said: “I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments.
      “Aston Villa’s always had a great history.
      “I have got friends of mine who support Aston Villa and one of the first FA Cup games I went to was Bolton v Aston Villa back in 2000. Sadly, Villa went on to lose to Chelsea.”
      William attended his first Villa game aged 11.
      Appearing on That Peter Crouch Podcast in 2020, he revealed: “I sat there among all the Villa fans and I loved it and thought the atmosphere was great.
      “I felt a real connection with the club and I felt Villa was a very proud Midlands club and it felt very special.”
      Prince William can be seen passionately cheering Villa on from the standsCredit: Rex Features
      William celebrating in the stands with former footballer John Carew (right) after Villa’s El Ghazi scores his side’s first goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship Play-off final at Wembley StadiumCredit: PA:Press Association
      William handing the 2015 FA Cup final trophy to Arsenal, who beat his beloved Villa 4-0 at WembleyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Prince William has also been President of the FA for over a decade.
      The Royal took over the role in May 2006.
      William is a regular at FA Cup finals, whether Villa are contesting it or not.
      The future King has also used his position to publicly condemn racism in football.
      Mental health in football has been another initiative Prince William has advocated for in his role.
      In May 2020, William took part in a special BBC documentary titled Prince William, Football, and Mental Health.
      William, alongside wife Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, and son Prince George, roared the Three Lions on last summer at the Euros.
      William could be seen punching the air as England reached the Wembley final against Italy.
      Luke Shaw’s early opener against the Italians got a Royal reaction.
      However, Gareth Southgate’s side went on to lose on penalties – denying the Three Lions a major tournament win.
      William reacting to England’s Euros Round of 16 win over Germany at WembleyCredit: Getty
      Red-faced Prince William, alongside Prince George and Princess of Wales Kate after Luke Shaw’s Euro 2020 final openerCredit: The Sun
      William is getting Prince George into football at an early ageCredit: Reuters
      Pain in the Ars
      Prince Harry seems to be more of a rugby guy.
      But he let slip that he was an Arsenal fan when he refused to talk about the Gunners’ Champions League 5-1 drubbing by Bayern Munich in 2017.
      Harry made his views clear on his embattled football team at an England rugby training session.
      The 37-year-old pulled a face when asked about who he supported.
      As he chatted to sports coach Jack Gair, 19, the Royal asked which football team he supported.
      “Man U,” said Jack, who asked the same of Harry.
      “Arsenal,” said Harry and before the teen could say anything more, he put up his hand to signal stop, grimaced and said: “I know. Let’s not talk about it.”
      And when conducting charity work with local children at the New Zealand government house in Wellington a few years back he was heard saying “most of the royal family are Arsenal fans”.
      Prince Harry visiting Manchester CityCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Arsenal fan Prince Harry playing panna knockout football in 2016Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Blue is the colour
      Kate Middleton, like husband William, is enduring an “emotional rollercoaster” as a Chelsea fan.
      The Blues’ new owner Todd Boehly brutally sacked Champions League-winning boss Thomas Tuchel and replaced him with Graham Potter after a poor start to the season.
      The Princess of Wales revealed she was a Chelsea fan at the Anna Freud Centre Christmas party.
      Middleton bonded with one little boy, Rjay Bryan, over their support of the West London club.
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      As quoted by Hello Magazine, Bryan said: “We high fived because she supports Chelsea and I support Chelsea.
      The magazine also claim Middleton’s uncle, Gary Goldsmith, is a keen Chelsea fan – which could be where the influence came from.
      The Princess of Wales is a Chelsea fanCredit: PA:Press Association More

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      Arsenal in huge blow as youth guru Yousuf Sajjad quits club after helping Mikel Arteta and Edu snap-up emerging talent

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      TALENT spotter Yousuf Sajjad is leaving Arsenal at the end of this month.The Gunners’ head of emerging talent joined from Chelsea three years ago and has left a strong impression in North London.
      Yousuff Sajjad is leaving Arsenal for pastures newCredit: https://www.instagram.com/yousuff_sajjad/?hl=en
      Sajjad has been responsible for the club’s development sides between Under-17 and Under-23 level and has overseen a huge uptick in results.
      According to The Athletic, Sajjad handed in his notice earlier this month and will leave at the end of September.
      They add that he has left to join another club, and will begin his new job on October 1.
      Sajjad worked primarily with technical director Edu and academy manager Per Mertesacker – as well as head of talent identification Lee Herron.
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      From being close to the PL2’s relegation spots when Sajjad arrived, Arsenal currently find themselves top of the table following four wins and a draw to start the season.
      The Gunners also managed a third-placed finish last term.
      Sajjad has been responsible for a number of young signings including Mika Biereth and Salah Oulad M’Hand.
      However, Arsenal were disappointed to lose Omari Hutchinson at the end of last season.
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      The promising attacker opted to join Chelsea and, aged 18, is now playing for the Blues’ Under-21s.
      Hutchinson experienced defeat when he faced his old side in a PL2 clash last month.
      The young Blues were thumped 4-1 by Arsenal at Meadow Park, with James Olayinka, Khayon Edwards, Charles Sagoe Jr and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji getting on the scoresheet.
      Salah Oulad M’Hand is among the promising youngsters recruited by SajjadCredit: Getty More

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      Arsenal consider January loan transfer for Marquinhos if Arteta is able to sign new winger

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      ARSENAL are still considering a January loan deal for teenage prodigy Marquinhos.But the 19-year-old Brazilian winger will only be allowed to leave if manager Mikel Arteta can sign another winger in the next transfer window.
      Arsenal star Marquinhos could be set for a loan move in JanuaryCredit: Getty
      And the club has already decided that Marquinhos’ long-term future will be at the Emirates following his flying start to life in English football.
      Arsenal had originally planned to allow the unknown rookie to spend all of this season on loan with a European club following his £3million summer arrival from Sao Paulo.
      But they quickly changed their minds when they saw how quickly he acclimatised to training with Arteta’s senior squad.
      And it is not just his fellow Brazilians and Portuguese speakers who have been singing his praises.
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      He has also become one of the most popular players with Arsenal’s home grown youngsters despite his lack of English.
      It was Marquinhos’ instant impact which convinced Arteta that he could afford to do without £72million record signing Nicolas Pepe, who has been allowed to sign for Nice on loan.
      And he quickly justified his manager’s faith with a goal and an assist on his debut in last week’s 2-1 Europa League victory away to Zurich.
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      Now Arteta must decide whether Marquinhos will get enough game time playing in the Europa League and domestic cup competitions and coming off the bench in Premier League games when required.
      And if he decides that the player needs more regular football to gain experience, he could still be loaned out in the New Year. More