When Arsenal fans think of David Bentley, the memory of a player that struggled to make any lasting impact in almost ten years on the club’s books springs to mind.

The former England international’s most memorable Gunners moment was actually scoring against the club for arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur – and as such his name will certainly not be fondly remembered by the Emirates Stadium faithful.

However, Bentley’s latest comments on Arsene Wenger’s team selection will surely resonate with a section of the Arsenal supporters.

The retired midfielder has questioned the use of summer signing Alexandre Lacazette and why the France international is not an automatic starting XI selection in North London.

Bentley has urged Arsenal to pick the sprightly forward this weekend against Spurs, in a game that the hosts must win.

“Lacazette has come in and hit the ground running,” he told 888sport.

“He’s answered the questions and he’s a goal-scorer – he should be playing. I don’t know why he’s not to be honest.

“You purchase a player and you want him to get confident so it doesn’t make sense to unsettle a player who has just come into a football club.

“I’d be playing him every minute of every game and there is no better period for him to play because he can be seen as the saviour of Arsenal.

“Arsene has options but whether his options are as good as a guy who scored on his debut and has such a good goal-scoring record.

“He’s the best man to play. It’s bizarre.”

While Alexis Sanchez is, and should be, one of the first names on the Arsenal team sheet when he is fit, there surely is an attacking combination that could see the Chilean and Lacazette both feature in the Gunners side.

It could well be that Mesut Ozil is the man to potentially miss out to give the Frenchman a chance to start.

Arsenal need to be forthright, attacking and ambitious this Saturday to get a desirable result in the North London derby, but the home team will be coming up against one of the Premier League’s most miserly defences.

As such, have the dual threat of Sanchez and Lacazette, with both offering searing pace and an eye for goal, would be a handful for any visiting side.

However, it may well be that Ozil’s guile and trickery would have to be sacrificed by Wenger for Arsenal to hand Lacazette a place in the starting XI.