ALEX Oxlade-Chamberlain shouldered responsibility for steering Arsenal’s second-string into the last eight of the EFL Cup and handed manager Arsene Wenger a weekend selection poser.
The England international has not started a Premier League game since mid-September but two emphatic finishes strengthened his case for a recall.
After putting Wenger’s side ahead before the break, Oxlade-Chamberlain ensured there was no chance of Jaap Stam’s Reading pulling off a shock with a second, drilled in from the edge of box in the 78th minute.
Wenger had spoken of his intention to compete on four fronts when he addressed the club’s AGM on Monday.
That may have been impressive fighting talk during one of the less controversial club summits of recent years, but the Frenchman’s team selection last night confirmed he was not about to change his agenda of using this competition as testing ground for the club’s youngsters and fringe players.
Arsenal player ratings against Reading
Tue, October 25, 2016Express Sport brings you Arsenal's player ratings from their EFL Cup clash with Reading
Express Sport brings you Arsenal's player ratings from their EFL Cup clash with Reading
Only Alex Iwobi and Mohamed Elneny retained their place from the side that started in the goalless draw with Middlesbrough and Wenger rested his heavyweights ahead of Saturday’s lunchtime trip to struggling Sunderland.
The tie came too soon for Aaron Ramsey to make his return from a hamstring injury in the season’s opening game defeat to Liverpool.
But Wenger did take the opportunity to hand Carl Jenkinson his first Arsenal appearance in 898 days. The right-back is working back to full fitness after a knee injury brought his two-season loan at West Ham to an end.
The way Arsenal began to open up the Reading defence – whose line-up had also been overhauled by Stam – began to look ominous for the Championship side.
And when Oxlade-Chamberlain flashed a shot across the face of Ali Al-Habsi’s goal moments later, it seemed the tie would quickly be over.
Wenger’s side, though, lacked a cutting edge until Oxlade-Chamberlain produced the decisive moment of the opening half, running at Tyler Blackett before striking an angled shot through the defender’s legs and inside Al-Habsi’s far post.
In the second period Arsenal once again moved through the gears although, with Lucas Perez providing a less than convincing focal point to the attack, chances again proved hard to come by.
Perez has yet to make his mark following his £17million arrival from Deportivo La Coruna and the striker – who fluffed a first-half opening – confirmed he is still finding his feet.
Wenger introduced Olivier Giroud but the striker, who was making his first appearance in a month after a toe injury, was denied by a stunning save by Al-Habsi that maintained the visitors’ hopes heading into the final stages.
But Oxlade-Chamberlain extinguished those hopes with his decisive second goal.
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Jenkinson, Gabriel, Holding, Gibbs; Elneny, Maitland-Niles; Oxlade-Chamberlain (Zelalem 80), Iwobi, Reine-Adelaide
(Giroud 66); Perez (Willock 72).
Goals: Oxlade-Chamberlain 33, 78.
READING (4-2-3-1): Al-Habsi; Watson (Gravenberch 68), L Moore, Blackett, Obita; Kelly, Van den Berg (Quinn 80); McCleary, Harriott (Kermorgant 56), Evans; Samuel. Booked: McCleary, Moore.
Referee: G Scott (Oxfordshire).