Mikel Arteta has just struck gold, but he won’t be able to take all the credit. It took just a few minutes into Arsenal’s 4-0 romp of Wigan in the FA Cup, as they remained in the hunt for an unprecedented quadruple, but the head coach knows he has a brand-new double threat to unleash on the rest of the competition.

And it only arrived as a result of a disappointing injury blow to Riccardo Calafiori. The Italian had hoped to step up his recovery from a muscle issue in the cup, as part of a much-rotated team, but he picked up a problem in the warm-up and had to be replaced by Bukayo Saka in the starting lineup.

That forced Arteta into a very late tactical shuffle that he would have wanted to avoid. Myles Lewis-Skelly, who was set to be given a rare midfield role, had to return to left-back, while Saka entered the fray in an unusual central role.

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With Noni Madueke on the right and Gabriel Martinelli on the left, Saka played between them in a floating No. 10 position that had not been seen previously.

The Gunners’ talisman already underwent one position change, having been brought into the team as a teenager at left-back before progressing to a forward position. But this new transformation may just take the Premier League leaders to new heights.

Arsenal had already scored twice, through Madueke and Martinelli, as they sliced through Wigan at will before the moment that might just change the entire picture in north London arrived.

In the 23rd minute, Madueke picked up the ball near the sideline, skipped past Morgan Fox and making a darting run ahead of him was Saka. The former Chelsea man delivered a pass through to his team-mate in an advanced role and Saka’s cross was diverted into his own net by Jack Hunt.

Saka and Madueke wheeled away in celebration together, perhaps now aware of the damage they can do together on the pitch, rather than competing for the same position.

Saka flourished centrally and was able to affect the game in more areas, as opposed to being stuck out wide, ready to be doubled up on by two defenders ready to hack him down – the usual response to his talents.

And that No. 10 has been a problem position for Arteta this season. Despite his loyalty to captain Martin Odegaard, the Norwegian has struggled with form and fitness this season.

Eberechi Eze, as impressive as he was against Wigan, has struggled to win over the head coach’s trust in the same way and there was little surprise when he was hooked at half-time against Brentford earlier in the week.

From open play, Arsenal’s attack has rarely blown teams away despite their lofty position in the league and quadruple prospects.

But with Saka central, as the heartbeat of the team, both he and the team can go up another level.

It’s a scary prospect for the rest of Europe. But there was no hesitation when Paris Saint-Germain moved Kylian Mbappe from a winger to a striker. Cristiano Ronaldo forced Real Madrid to do the same.

Getting Saka on the ball more regularly should be Arsenal’s priority and playing through the middle would do just that.

The experiment only lasted 45 minutes against Wigan, before Saka was replaced by Viktor Gyokeres, with Arteta perhaps not wanting to give away too much.

But the Gunners have been given the blueprint to unlock Saka and Madueke as they head into the final third of the season. Who knows what they might achieve? The league title might just be the start of a special season with that dynamic duo at the forefront.

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