Mikel Arteta Commends Fabio Vieira’s Performance and Calls for More Game Time
Mikel Arteta singled out midfielder Fabio Vieira for commendation following Arsenal’s draw against Sporting CP in the Europa League on Thursday, stating that he believed the player “deserves” more recognition.
Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that Fabio Vieira should be given more playing time following Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Sporting CP on Thursday. In the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie, William Saliba scored the opening goal from a corner kick, with Vieira providing the assist through a brilliant cross.
After the game, Arteta expressed his admiration for Vieira, describing him as the most threatening player on the field. He stated that he was content with the 22-year-old’s performance.
“I think he deserves more minutes than he’s had, especially in the last two months. Obviously he had a difficult start because we injured for two months after a surgery and wasn’t at the level that we want.
“You saw tonight he was probably our most dangerous player. He was always making things happen. He’s a player that I absolutely love.”
Fabio Vieira joined Arsenal last summer, but has struggled to secure regular playing time in his first season with the club. He is currently behind Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka in the midfield hierarchy. Despite this, he has shown his worth whenever given the opportunity, registering two goals and six assists across all competitions. The 22-year-old Portuguese Under-21 international was included in the starting lineup for Arsenal’s Premier League match against Bournemouth last weekend, which they won 3-2. He will be hoping to feature again on Sunday when they face Fulham, managed by Marco Silva, at Craven Cottage.
