Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta handed two new options for title run in

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been given a couple of new options ahead of the busy fixture schedule. The Spaniard has to juggle a Premier League title race with competing in the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

Arsenal sit two points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table. But they finally get to play their game in hand when Everton visit the Emirates on Wednesday.

It starts a run of six games in the first 19 days of March for the Gunners. Arteta needs as many players as possible fit and ready to be called upon.

And he has been handed a couple of different options in Emile Smith Rowe and Jakub Kiwior. The pair played 45 minutes for the Arsenal under-23 side on Monday.

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Smith Rowe has missed the majority of the season due to injury. After spending three months on the sidelines after groin surgery, he then suffered a thigh issue upon his return.

The attacking midfielder scored 11 goals in all competitions last term and was one of their standout players in the first half of the campaign. Arteta will be hoping his fitness issues are behind him.

The more attacking options the better for Arsenal. Saturday’s win at Leicester showed the importance of being able to call upon Leandro Trossard as a striker to give a different dimension up top.

Smith Rowe came close to scoring on a couple of occasions as a young Gunners team lost to Chelsea on Monday. He and January signing Kiwior were taken off at half-time with the score at 0-0.

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It was an important step for Kiwior, who will be hoping to get his first taste of first-team action in the next couple of weeks. The Poland international joined from Serie A side Spezia for a fee of around £21million.

He is yet to play a single minute after being a regular for Spezia in the first half of the season. Gabriel is irreplaceable at the back, but if he were to suffer injury or suspension, Kiwior would be first in line to replace him.

The 23-year-old is left-footed and Arteta would likely prefer that balance rather than choosing the more experienced Rob Holding. Kiwior getting minutes, albeit with the under-23s, was much needed.

He will likely come into the team for the Europa League tie against Sporting Lisbon, as will Smith Rowe. But Arteta now knows he has almost two entirely new options to call upon in the hunt for a first title since 2004.

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