Lucas Torreira is treading a disciplinary tightrope but Unai Emery says it will not affect his Boxing Day selection at Brighton or the midfielder’s performance.
Torreira, who has shone for Arsenal since his summer arrival from Sampdoria, has collected four bookings and, if cautioned against Brighton, he would be suspended for Saturday’s trip to Liverpool.
Emery used Torreira only as a substitute in the 3-1 home win over Burnley, having started him in the previous 12 Premier League matches, and the manager stressed he would not attach greater importance to the Liverpool game – or any other more high-profile fixture.
“In my career, I never made these decisions,” Emery said, when asked about Torreira’s selection at Brighton in light of his four yellow cards. “We are going to play the next match in Brighton and we are going to play full – not with considered options or playing with more caution.
“The same three points are in Brighton that are in Liverpool and we are going to play first in Brighton. It’s a tough match and we will need every player with 100% focus to do everything on the pitch to win.
“I don’t know whether Torreira would even be able to play cautiously but I don’t want him to think about the possibility of a suspension for one yellow card.”
It is Emery’s first experience of English football’s congested holiday programme, as it is for Torreira and another summer recruit, the 19-year-old French midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi.
Emery has used Guendouzi more than may have been expected, starting him 17 times in all competitions – only three players, Granit Xhaka, Shkodran Mustafi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, have started in more matches. There is the feeling Guendouzi has the stamina to cope.
Emery said: “I was speaking with [Laurent] Koscielny about the possibility for him to play against Burnley and he said: ‘Not today’ – because he was very tired after two matches in a week and I decided for him not to be with the group. Koscielny said: ‘I’m not Mattéo! Mattéo is 19 and I’m 33 years old!’
“I am very happy with Mattéo and he is improving a lot. He gives a lot of moments with the combinations, the quality and the possibility to play with our style. He needs to continue his progress with us but I think he’s [still] very young.”