Lokonga hadn't started a game in months, and was asked to play as a lone pivot: a role which only 2 players in the Premier League are capable of fulfilling in Partey and Rodrí. Understandably, Sambi wasn't great, but he wasn't terrible either. Gabriel, White, Xhaka, Ødegaard, and Smith Rowe, all had more difficult first halves.
After Arteta rectified his tactical error and moved Xhaka to midfield, Lokonga was one of our better performers. He was the second-best CM on the field after Mwepu, and was inches away from scoring a 30-yard screamer.
Duels won
Bissouma 2/2
Lokonga 0/2
Interceptions
Bissouma 3
Lokonga 3
Tackles
Bissouma 1
Lokonga 1
Ball recoveries
Bissouma 4
Lokonga 13
Touches
Bissouma 32
Lokonga 73
Pass completion
Bissouma 81.0%
Lokonga 87.1%
Progressive passes
Bissouma: 0
Lokonga: 3
*Source: FBref
Will Lokonga be our saviour for top 4? Probably not, but that doesn't mean he isn't ready for the Premier League. Despite starting in an infinitely more complex and demanding position, overall, Lokonga's performance was better than Bissouma's. Unlike Bissouma, Sambi lacks match rhythm. He also wasn't playing for the winning side, nor did he have the luxury of playing alongside the best player on the field in Mwepu.
In before somehow interpreted as "Lokonga is better than Bissouma".