West Ham United manager, David Moyes has defended his Arsenal counterpart, Mikel Arteta over his team selection following the Gunners’ defeat to the Hammers in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.
West Ham eliminated Arsenal from the Carabao Cup after beating Arteta’s side 3-1 at the London Stadium.
Ben White’s own goal and a goal each from Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen gave West Ham the victory over Arsenal, as Martin Odegaard scored a late consolation for the visitors.
However, Arteta made six changes from the Arsenal side that defeated Sheffield United 5-0 in the Premier League last Saturday, with Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Declan Rice, among those who started on the bench against Moyes’ side.
The Spaniard came under fire from Arsenal fans for his team selection against West Ham.
But Moyes believes Arteta was right to make changes for their Carabao Cup tie because Arsenal have two important matches coming up in the next few days.
When asked about Arteta’s decision to rotate his team for the game, Moyes told reporters: “I have been in football that long, I’m probably one of the most experienced managers, and I think the managers continue to get asked the question about the changes in the teams.
“It really surprises me that you have not, the journalists who watch all the football wouldn’t say, ‘well, you’ve got 18 or 19 players in your squad who are probably good enough to play, you have a lot of football to play’.
“They have got two games that are the sort of questions you wouldn’t say you would take near enough for granted that lots of the managers would change their team.
“I find it quite surprising really, not that you would ask, but I’m sure you have all considered Arsenal have got Newcastle on Saturday then they have got Sevilla, so they have got big games coming up.
“That is the way you see it but maybe there are bigger things they see than maybe tonight’s game.”
