Arsenal legend Lee Dixon says he was left perplexed by manager Mikel Arteta’s decision to select Calum Chambers ahead of Hector Bellerin in the starting lineup for the game against Burnley yesterday.

The 26-year-old had only featured in three Europa League games this season, ahead of yesterday afternoon’s clash at Turf Moor, and his inclusion came as a big surprise to Dixon:

“I am a little bit shocked. You look at the games coming up for Arsenal, he is maybe looking at the league and going ‘what are we playing for today?’ We don’t know what’s going through Arteta’s mind in that respect. Calum Chambers was a shock to me in the sense that Bellerin was on the bench. Is he saving him for midweek? It’s a bit of a strange one, I have to say.”

Cedric started the 3-1 win over Leicester a week before but he was omitted from the matchday squad entirely yesterday, in order to make room for Chambers. The Portuguese international is not injured and reports suggest Arteta was simply rotating his players.

It is, though, something Gunners supporters have come to expect from Arteta. Despite starring against the Foxes last weekend, Nicolas Pepe was also left out of the starting eleven for the Burnley match. These selection decisions are certainly not helping in Arsenal’s attempts to find more consistency in the league.