Why Cedric could become a starting option for Arsenal
Last Updated: January 21, 2021 7:58 pm
Cedric over Bellerin?
Arsenal signed the Portuguese international right-back Cedric from Southampton in January of 2020 on loan until the end of the season. At the completion of the 2019/20 campaign, his contract expired with the Saints and Arsenal moved to secure his services on a 4-year contract.
The full-back has not been a regular starter in the Arsenal senior squad for the league but has played a few games in European competition this season. Hector Bellerin has been Arsenal’s first-choice right-back for a number of seasons since establishing himself as Bacary Sagna’s long-term replacement after Mathieu Debuchy experienced a number of injury issues.
Cedric earned his first Premier League start of the season in the 3-0 win over Newcastle, keeping a clean sheet and setting up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for his second of the match.
*That close* 😬
Cedric keeps it in play and finds Aubameyang for his second of the game..
📺 Watch #MNF live on Sky Sports PL now
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 18, 2021
It was very close to going out of play before Cedric could cross the ball but VAR deemed him to have done well to keep it in play. Could this mean that the 29-year-old has more of a future of starting?
Arteta explains Cedric decision
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup match with Southampton, Arteta spoke about the work which Cedric has put in and that he is now being rewarded for that, even suggesting he has a chance to earn the spot for himself.
“Yes,” Arteta said when asked if Cedric could challenge Bellerin. “When he joined us he had various injuries and some difficult times, as you mentioned. It took him a little bit of time to adapt and get completely free and now earn the chances to play.”
“The best thing with Cedric is the way he takes his profession, the way he trains, the way he prepares himself. So every time that we had to use him, he was always ready and always fit to compete.”
“Even not playing for many parts of the season, when he had to play 120 minutes he was completely ready. The other night I think he had a really good game.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 05: Cedric Soares of Southampton is challenged by Danny Rose of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton FC at Wembley Stadium on December 5, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Arteta revealed that it has been Cedric’s desire and commitment in training that has led to his inclusion more so than simple rotation.
“When I see someone behaving like he has done and training like he has done, all the time trying to help but accepting my decision – which is tough for him – but at the end, challenging in a way where he is all the time competing in training and when he has the chance to play he does it well and all the time asking for reasons why he’s not playing and what he has to do better.”
“I just want to reward this kind of behaviour and player and Cedric has done that for sure.”
Cedric could be in line to start against his former club at the weekend as the Gunners face the Saints in back to back fixtures with a Premier League tie awaiting them on Tuesday again on the south coast.
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This article was edited by Josh Barker.
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Leicester vs Arsenal odds: result, both teams to score, correct score & goalscorers
| Leicester vs Arsenal Result/Both teams score | Yes | No |
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| Leicester vs Arsenal Goalscorers | First | Last | Anytime |
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| Jamie Vardy | 8/5 | 8/5 | 20/21 |
| Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | 2/1 | 2/1 | 5/4 |
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| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Manchester City FC | 26 | 36 | 62 |
| 2 | Manchester United FC | 25 | 21 | 49 |
| 3 | Leicester City FC | 25 | 17 | 49 |
| 4 | West Ham United FC | 26 | 9 | 45 |
| 5 | Chelsea FC | 25 | 16 | 43 |
| 6 | Liverpool FC | 25 | 11 | 40 |
| 7 | Everton FC | 24 | 4 | 40 |
| 8 | Aston Villa FC | 23 | 11 | 36 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 24 | 10 | 36 |
| 10 | Leeds United | 25 | 0 | 35 |
| 11 | Arsenal FC | 25 | 5 | 34 |
| 12 | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 25 | -6 | 33 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace FC | 25 | -14 | 32 |
| 14 | Southampton FC | 25 | -12 | 30 |
| 15 | Burnley FC | 25 | -12 | 28 |
| 16 | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 25 | -6 | 26 |
| 17 | Newcastle United FC | 25 | -17 | 25 |
| 18 | Fulham FC | 25 | -11 | 22 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 25 | -36 | 14 |
| 20 | Sheffield United FC | 25 | -26 | 11 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 17 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 15 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 13 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 13 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 13 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 13 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 12 |
| Gundogan, Ilkay | Manchester City FC | 11 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 10 |
| Watkins, Ollie | Aston Villa FC | 10 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 9 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 9 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace FC | 9 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 8 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 8 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 8 |
| Aubameyang, Pierre-Emerick | Arsenal FC | 8 |
| Soucek, Tomas | West Ham United FC | 8 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United FC | 7 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallagher, Conor | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 8 |
| Bellerin, Hector | Arsenal FC | 0 | 8 |
| Hayden, Isaac | Newcastle United FC | 0 | 8 |
| Lundstram, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Evans, Jonny | Leicester City FC | 0 | 7 |
| Egan, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 6 |
| Milivojevic, Luka | Crystal Palace FC | 1 | 6 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 6 |
| Klich, Mateusz | Leeds United | 0 | 6 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Hojbjerg, Pierre | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 0 | 6 |
| Xhaka, Granit | Arsenal FC | 1 | 5 |
| Maguire, Harry | Manchester United FC | 0 | 6 |
| Romeu, Oriol | Southampton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Luiz, Douglas | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Kante, N`Golo | Chelsea FC | 0 | 6 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 0 | 5 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Dallas, Stuart | Leeds United | 0 | 5 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 11 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 10 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 10 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City FC | 10 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 6 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 6 |
| Cresswell, Aaron | West Ham United FC | 6 |
| Digne, Lucas | Everton FC | 6 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 5 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 5 |
| Firmino, Roberto | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 5 |
| Werner, Timo | Chelsea FC | 5 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 5 |
| Neto, Pedro | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 5 |
| Robertson, Andrew | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Shaw, Luke | Manchester United FC | 5 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 4 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 4 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 4 |
