Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admits he can't guarantee anything to his fringe players.
Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson remained on the bench in Monday's win at Sheffield United.
Arteta said: "We discussed things and we cannot play every player in every game. Those players played a few games ago against Newcastle and they had opportunities to do that. Now we have five subs, before we had only three, so we have another two players happy.
"That's the way I take it, but you always have players who want to be involved and play, but unfortunately it is impossible. It's not in our hands, it's impossible to achieve that so they know that.
"You cannot really promise anything. You never know what is going to happen in a three weeks time or seven days. Just I think we have to show the compassion and they need to feel that we are next to them and we understand where they are, but the reality as well is that this is football. This is a team sport and you have to understand and fulfil the role that you have in the moment and it might be very different in three weeks time."