Mikel Arteta insisted he is ready to throw Kepa Arrizabalaga back into the firing line for Arsenal’s FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton.
Kepa gifted Manchester City their opening goal in Arsenal’s 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat a fortnight ago.
The 31-year-old has not played at all in the Premier League this season, with appearances only in the Carabao and FA Cups and a Champions League dead rubber against Kairat.
But despite Kepa’s howler against City, Arteta looks set to stick with the former Chelsea man for the Gunners’ visit to St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday night.
Kepa has played every minute of Arsenal’s FA Cup campaign so far.
“He is ready to play,” said Arteta. “I’m never going to judge a player or make a decision because he has made an error. Attitude, behaviour, yes, 100 per cent, but an error is part of football, and anybody can do it.
“I don’t know if he needed it (an arm around the shoulder), but he has had it. Just in case. From all of them. From his team-mates first, then myself, all the staff, and hopefully all our supporters.
“I don’t think he needed it because he’s got so much experience, and he’s been through all kinds of different scenarios in his career, so he’s more than ready to play.”
Arsenal’s quadruple dreams were dashed by the disappointing 2-0 loss to Pep Guardiola’s side.
However, the Gunners are still nine points clear in the Premier League title race and they will face Sky Bet Championship side Southampton bidding to secure a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Arteta’s outfit also travel to Sporting Lisbon for the first leg of their Champions League last-eight match next week.
The defeat at Wembley raised serious questions about the club’s big-game mentality and left Arteta still awaiting his first trophy in nearly six years.
Reflecting on the sobering defeat, the Spaniard said: “It’s like a ball of poison that you have in your tummy. But take that out as quick as possible, and how can I use that to make myself better, to make the team better?
“It’s not going to go in the next 30 years because when you have the opportunity to win a final in Wembley, you have to get it done.
“So that has to stay there. And that’s part of who you’re going to be in the next few weeks, in the next few months, in the next few years. Learn from that and make sure that that fire is still in Wembley, remembering what happened.
“That has been the mindset and the only work that we have done in the last few days, to use that as fuel, as tools, to be able to get the final push that we want and achieve what we want. And immediately, I could sense that (from the players).
“It will make us better and now we have to use it for the most important and beautiful part of the season.”
