Arsenal’s Holding hoping for more opportunities in back three

Arsenal’s Rob Holding made his first Premier League appearance for eight months at Middlesbrough on Monday evening, and after making a winning return he hopes several more are in the offing before the season is out.

The 21-year-old defender started alongside Gabriel Paulista and Laurent Koscielny as part of a back three for the Gunners, with Arsene Wenger looking to change things up following a dismal run of form for his side.

The ploy brought their second win in six Premier League matches, and Holding – who had not featured in the competition since a 3-1 win over Watford on August 27, 2016 – believes that system suits him well.

“I’ve played once before in a back three and it was actually here on my debut with Bolton,” said Holding, who joined Arsenal from the Trotters last summer.

“We lost 3-0 so that was a bit different to this one, but I’ve played in a back three before and you’ve just got to keep working together and communicating and as long as you keep sliding across as a unit then you’re alright.

“We’d done it in the week and then we did it on Sunday but I wasn’t in the team, and I wasn’t sure if I was playing or not. It wasn’t until [the day of the game] that I found out I was in the back three, so that was good.

“With Gabriel and Koscielny alongside you it’s a lot easier.

“Koscielny was the central one, pulling the strings with us both and telling us where to go and that, so with someone like him and his experience it makes it a lot more comfortable.”