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Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni had anticipated the introduction of one or both Arsenal attackers, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke, during Wednesday night’s semi-final clash, according to The Independent.

Despite being key figures for Mikel Arteta’s side at the Emirates Stadium, the Arsenal pair remained on the bench as England suffered a 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final.

England manager Thomas Tuchel opted to start with Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon on the wings for the crucial encounter.

However, Argentina’s camp had been preparing for an injection of pace in the second half – a hallmark of Saka and Madueke’s playing style.

Scaloni’s men reportedly expected one of the two to be introduced by the second hydration break of the match.

When Tuchel instead turned to defensive substitutions, the South Americans were relieved and swiftly modified their tactical setup to maintain control.

Argentina players were reminded during half-time of the threat posed by the Arsenal duo and were taken aback when Tuchel shifted to a back-five formation after England took the lead.

They were left stunned that neither Saka nor Madueke featured at all, despite their proven ability to influence games with their speed and creativity.

After conceding late, England made attacking changes in the 95th minute, introducing Marcus Rashford for Djed Spence and Ivan Toney for John Stones.

Earlier, Tuchel had brought on defensive trio Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn, and Nico O’Reilly for Anthony Gordon, Reece James, and Declan Rice respectively, in an attempt to preserve the 1-0 advantage.

The German manager has since faced heavy criticism for his tactical approach, with many believing that introducing Saka or Madueke could have altered the outcome.

The Arsenal stars may be given a chance to play in Saturday’s third-place play-off against France, though Mikel Arteta is reportedly keen for them to rest following William Saliba’s serious injury earlier in the week.