Arsenal must go "all guns blazing" for EFL Cup trophy as Max Dowman prediction made for Port Vale clash

Arsenal must go "all guns blazing" for EFL Cup glory this season, even if it is not the trophy that Mikel Arteta and co are pining for, expert Charles Watts believes.

The Gunners are heavy favourites to get the job done against Port Vale in Wednesday evening's third-round clash, as they endeavour to banish painful memories of League Cup campaigns gone by.

While no team has won more than Arsenal's 14 FA Cups, the North London club have only collected a paltry two EFL Cup trophies, and none since Paul Merson and Steve Morrow propelled them to a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the final of the 1992-93 edition.

Arsenal have since lost the 2006-07 final to Chelsea, the 2010-11 showpiece to Birmingham City and the 2017-18 trophy match to Manchester City, before a 4-0 aggregate humbling in last year's semi-finals against Newcastle United.

Asked if he wanted Arsenal to go all out for the EFL Cup this term, Watts told Sports Mole: “Yes, absolutely! It might not be a priority for some fans; it's a priority for me. What a massive thing that would be. The weight off the shoulders, the whole narrative of Arsenal having not won a trophy. Yes, it’s not the trophy they want, but it would just quieten the narrative.

“Arteta will know that. And their squad is so strong now, they will have a very good go. It's not been a happy hunting ground for Arsenal, this competition. I was really disappointed last season with what happened against Newcastle. It just felt like such a prime opportunity and Arsenal let it slip through their fingers with a bit of a whimper.

Arsenal transfer business allows Arteta to go "all guns blazing" for EFL Cup

“I'm hoping that drives them on a little bit. They should go all guns blazing for this trophy this time around. The business they've done in the summer really allows them to do that. I'm expecting Arsenal to have a real good crack at this.”

The contest with Port Vale is sandwiched in between Premier League encounters with Man City and Newcastle for Arsenal, and Arteta will be expected to ring the changes for the trip to the League One side as second-string players earn rare starts at Vale Park.

The Arsenal boss is facing an intriguing predicament on the right wing, as Noni Madueke is now reportedly facing two months on the sidelines with the knee injury he picked up at the weekend, while Bukayo Saka is only just back from a hamstring problem.

Arteta has also been reluctant to deploy Ethan Nwaneri on the right, as Arsenal see him as a central player moving forward, meaning that the next best thing in that position is 15-year-old Max Dowman.

The 2009-born talent has already made two Premier League appearances off the bench this season, and given Saka's lengthy run-out against Man City, Watts expects Dowman to be handed his first senior start in the red and white kit at Vale Park.

Port Vale vs. Arsenal: Dowman predicted to make first Gunners start

“If Saka got 20 minutes at the weekend then he might have started this one," Watts replied. "But he got over 50 minutes. The likelihood for me is that Max Dowman starts this game.

“He became the youngest-ever player to score for Arsenal Under-21s at the weekend. Brilliant goal again over there. It's crazy to think he can play in that level for the next six years, which is absolutely mad. I don't think Mikel will be worried.

“If you can play him at Anfield, you can play him in any game. I don't think he'll be bothered about the physicality. We'll see big changes.

“We’ll see maybe one player who might start at Newcastle start this game. But the squad depth just gives Mikel the opportunity to do so many things, change so many players and still have a really strong team available for him for this game.”

Arsenal and Port Vale will be meeting for the first time since the 1997-98 campaign on Wednesday; Arsene Wenger's Gunners needed a replay and penalties to eliminate the Valiants from the FA Cup third round that year.

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