Arsenal host Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup 3rd round today. It’s been a while since the two clubs last faced each other – you have to go back to 2012 when Mikel Arteta started in midfield for the Gunners as they played out a 0-0 draw at the Reebok Stadium.

Bolton currently sit 19th out of 24 in League One with seven points. They started the season 2-1-3, scoring just six goals, five of them in one game. They narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship last season, losing in the play-off final. Former Arsenal Academy player Jordi Osei-Tutu is a regular substitute for manager Ian Evatt’s side.

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal face a bit of a dilemma. OK, it’s not really a dilemma, but there are competing priorities for today’s game. Arteta will rotate his team. And he’ll rotate a lot. It’s important that the first-choice players get some rest, players like Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling get fit and in form, and young players like Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly get some match experience.

At the same time, Arsenal and its players want to win every time they step on the pitch. More Carabao Cup games mean more opportunities for young players to play and for older players to stay fit. And while the Carabao Cup is a distant third in terms of importance, it is still a chance at a trophy that Arsenal have not won since the 2020 FA Cup. One of the reasons Arsenal needed (and still need) to improve their player depth is because the cup competitions are not disposable.

Last season, Arsenal drew with West Ham in this round of the competition. Mikel Arteta used a heavily rotated lineup that lost 3-1 and that was that. I’m not saying the players didn’t try, but the performance was mediocre and it seemed like no one, from the manager down, cared much about being knocked out of the competition.

Bolton are not West Ham. The Gunners should win at home against a League One side, even with a rotation lineup. The biggest question mark is goal, and that could be a problem area for Mikel Arteta. The Gunners are expected to start 16-year-old Jack Porter in goal with David Raya carrying a minor knock, Neto not selected for the cup, and neither Tommy Setford nor Lucas Nygaard fit. The Arsenal goalkeepers available for tonight’s game are 16-year-old Porter, 17-year-old Khari Ranson, and 18-year-old Alexei Rojas. Even with the expected talent difference between a rotation Arsenal and Bolton lineup, you never know what to expect from a teenage goalkeeper making his first senior appearance.

Arsenal will be without Leandro Trossard, who is fortunate to serve a one-match suspension after picking up two yellow cards against Manchester City. Martin Ødegaard is expected to be out until at least November. Mikel Merino could return in mid or late October. Takehiro Tomiyasu’s status is a question mark. Oleksandr Zinchenko is expected to be out for several weeks due to his recurring calf problem, Mikel Arteta revealed in his pre-match press conference. Jurrien Timber reportedly did not stay with the team at the hotel last night and will therefore not be in the squad for the match.

arsenal – Porter, Nichols, Kiwior, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Saka, Sterling, Jesus

WHO: Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers
WHAT: The 4th round of the EFL/Carabao Cup
WHERE: The Emirates Stadium, London
WHEN: Wednesday, September 25, 11:45 a.m. PT | 2:45 p.m. ET | 7:45 p.m. GMT
Here’s how you can watch: Live streaming via the Paramount+ app

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