Arteta told £52m star holds key to solving Arsenal’s struggles

Mikel Arteta told to unleash £52m Noni Madueke as Arsenal become overly reliance on Bukayo Saka in title race.

Mikel Arteta has been urged to make a bold tactical call by starting Noni Madueke in Arsenal’s strongest XI, amid growing concern over the club’s heavy reliance on Bukayo Saka. With Arsenal sitting two points clear at the top of the Premier League following a tense 2-1 win over Wolves, questions are being raised about attacking balance despite the positive results.

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards believes Arsenal’s title charge could stall unless creativity and goal threat are spread more evenly across the front line.

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Saka once again played a decisive role against Wolves, setting up both goals and underlining his importance to Arteta’s side. The England international currently leads Arsenal’s scoring charts with four goals, level with Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard, highlighting a broader issue — no player has yet reached five league goals this season.

Richards, speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, warned that opponents are increasingly targeting Arsenal’s right side, confident that stopping Saka significantly reduces the Gunners’ threat.

“They’re too reliant on Saka all the time,” Richards said. “All the dangerous play comes from Saka and the right-hand side. Teams are going to sit in low blocks because Arsenal are the team to beat now.”

Low blocks exposing Arsenal’s lack of variety

According to Richards, Arsenal’s predictability is becoming a problem. With teams setting up deep and narrow, the burden repeatedly falls on Saka to “dig something out,” rather than the responsibility being shared across the front line.

He pointed to Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, and Eberechi Eze as players who must increase their output, particularly from the left side, to prevent Arsenal becoming too one-dimensional.

Why Noni Madueke could be the solution

That is where Noni Madueke comes into the discussion. Signed from Chelsea in the summer for a deal worth around £52 million, the winger has shown glimpses of his quality, including a standout performance in Arsenal’s 3-0 Champions League win over Club Brugge, where he scored twice.

Despite that, Madueke has largely been deployed as cover for Saka, a role Richards feels wastes his attacking strengths.

“You need them both on the pitch at the same time,” Richards said. “Madueke is better from the right, but Arsenal have a conundrum because Saka is their best player.”

Richards suggested Madueke could operate from the left, even if it is not his natural side, simply to inject unpredictability and reduce Arsenal’s dependence on Saka.

Martin Keown agrees on Madueke role

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has echoed that view, suggesting Madueke could become Arsenal’s long-term solution on the left wing.

“When you start looking forward and think about Arsenal’s best XI, you wonder if Madueke ends up on the left,” Keown said. “Saka will stay on the right. We haven’t seen them together much this season, but that could be an option.”

Injuries have limited opportunities to test the pairing, but with the title race intensifying, the pressure to experiment is growing.

The issue extends beyond individual form. Arsenal’s balance in the final third remains fragile, with Martinelli, Trossard, and Eze yet to consistently deliver at elite levels. In a title race decided by fine margins, that imbalance could prove costly against compact, disciplined defences.

Arteta now faces a familiar dilemma: stick with control and structure, or take a calculated risk to unlock greater attacking variety. Integrating Madueke more prominently could free Saka from constant double-marking and open new passing lanes across the front line.

As Arsenal enter a demanding festive schedule that could define their season, calls for tactical evolution are growing louder. Whether Arteta chooses to unleash his £52m winger from the start may determine if Arsenal can maintain momentum — or if their reliance on Saka becomes a decisive weakness.

If the Gunners are to end their 21-year wait for a Premier League title, spreading responsibility may be just as important as defensive solidity.

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