Mikel Arteta has praised the professionalism of Bernd Leno as the Arsenal goalkeeper continues to provide high-quality cover for Aaron Ramsdale.
The 30-year-old is set to play at Crystal Palace with the Gunners continuing their push to consolidate a top-four place.
He had been first-choice, after moving to north London, since 2018. But following a poor start to the season, Arteta handed new £30million arrival Ramsdale a chance.
The former Sheffield United star impressed and Leno - who is contracted at Arsenal until 2023 - has been left out in the cold ever since.
But while Newcastle were ready to pounce in January, Leno has stayed focused and fought for his place. The German retains a good relationship with Ramsdale, and Arteta said: “What you want to have is in every position players that are reliable and can perform, whether they've been playing recently or not.
“In the goalkeeping position it's no different, that is why we bought Aaron, to get the standards higher, to bring different qualities, different ways of understanding and acting during matches, and different experiences.
"With Bernd we have the capacity to play him [on Monday] and we know what we're going to get.”
Arteta believes he has created an improved culture at the Emirates which has left players not in the starting XI determined to show the right attitude rather than head for the door. He pointed to the examples of right-back Cedric and wide man Nicolas Pepe who have fought their way back into his plans.
He added: “He's done a very similar thing to Cedric and Nico.
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"Not accepting the situation but trying to improve it. He’s also been consistent in the way he trained and the way he behaved in those months, waiting for the opportunity and, when he had it, taking it."
An accomplished midfielder in his own playing days, Arteta insisted a reduced role is something most players have to accept once they hit a certain age: “When you start to get to 30, 31 and 32 it's going to happen. I guarantee it's going to happen at some stage in your career that you don’t play regularly.
“But if it is that late I think it's a good sign, that means you've been pretty consistent because it can happen much earlier. It's never easy to accept for a player that is used to doing that. Personally, another factor is environment because it's not only the player – it is his family, his father, his nan, his agent, everyone saying ‘Why aren't you playing, I don't agree’.
“It's normal because they all want the best for that player. But we want the best so if we make a decision to play somebody else it's because we believe in that moment it's better for the team to play somebody else, that's it. There is not a personal thing in that decision at all and it cannot be taken personally.”
