Jamie Redknapp has urged Mikel Arteta to play Eberechi Eze in the middle of midfield against Newcastle rather than on the left wing.
Eze was was used as a left No.8 by Arsenal manager Arteta for the first time in the 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over Port Vale on Wednesday night.
Prior to the game against Port Vale, Eze had only played on the left wing or as a right No.8 for the Gunners since his £67.5m arrival in the summer.
But the left No.8 position is most similar to the role Eze had at Crystal Palace – and he shined against Port Vale – scoring his first Arsenal goal.
Ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Newcastle on Sunday, Redknapp told Sky Sports: ‘I still feel he’s better as one of those three [in the middle].
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
‘We saw the assist he made on the weekend [against Man City]. It was world class.
‘[Against Port Vale], he has an important moment with the goal. He’s a fantastic player and I’d prefer to see him play more central.
‘I think if you asked him the question, he’d say that’s where he’d want to play.’
Redknapp says it’s up to Eze to ‘force’ his way into the Arsenal XI on a regular basis ahead of Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi.
‘It’s difficult because there’s competition for places,’ football pundit and former Liverpool midfielder Redknapp added.
‘Odegaard, Rice and Zubimendi – that’s probably [Arteta’s] go-to three right now. It’s up to Eze to force his way in there.’
Speaking to Metro in August, Nigel Winterburn felt that Arsenal had signed Eze to compete with Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing.
But Martinelli has impressed for Arsenal in recent games, scoring the late equaliser in the 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester City and providing a goal and assist in the 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
It means Eze could be set for a battle with Odegaard or Rice to start in Sunday’s match against Newcastle.
Odegaard has sat out Arsenal’s last two games due to injury – but he is already back in training and is on course to be fit for the Newcastle game. Rice, meanwhile, was benched for the win over Nottingham Forest.
Quizzed about Eze’s performance in the win over Port Vale on Wednesday, Arteta said: ‘He played very centrally against a team that’s obviously with a 5-4-1; they are a super compact inside.
‘It’s not easy to find spaces, but he’s very capable with the ball. You’ve seen that in another three or four actions that he’s completely through, and playing people through.
‘He still needs a little more time with those guys to understand the timings, especially the things that he needs to do. Then actions like that will be more consistent and better for us. In general, very good – there is still a lot more to give, I think.’