Arsenal are in the midst of an injury crisis, as it appears that both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko could both miss today’s FA Cup clash against Liverpool.
Zinchenko has been in poor form recently, but was missed as Arsenal put in their worst performance of the season against Fulham last week.
Jesus was dropped to the bench for the game, but it has now emerged that he is a major doubt to face Liverpool as he has another knee injury, and questions remain over who will start up front, with the exit-linked Eddie Nketiah the most likely option.
Mikel Arteta needs to change his team in order to fix a run of form which has seen his side win just once in the last five games, and he can help address the issues in his team by starting veteran midfielder Jorginho.
Mikel Arteta should start Jorginho against Liverpool
Jorginho has not appeared in any of Arsenal’s last six Premier League games, after impressing at times in a run which included wins over Manchester City and Sevilla with him at the base of midfield.
The 31-year-old brings a wealth of leadership and experience to the squad, which has been praised by teammate David Raya, and his inclusion would allow Declan Rice to push further forward.
Arsenal have had issues in midfield, with Kai Havertz failing to offer enough ball progression despite a recent improvement in form, and the Fulham defeat saw the Gunners fail to control the tempo of the match.
Jorginho made his first start of the season as Arsenal secured an impressive 1-0 victory over Manchester City, and his inclusion was something of a surprise at the time. However, the same masterstroke could be repeated today.
Jorginho is a big game player
Jorginho arrived at Arsenal last year as a Champions League and European Championship winner, and he brings remarkable levels of composure to the Arsenal midfield.
With Zinchenko potentially missing, and Jakub Kiwior previously disappointing at left-back, the £110k-a-week midfielder may be necessary to help the defence progress the ball up the pitch, and would offer a passing option for the back line which was absent without the Ukrainian against Fulham.
Whilst he is not dominant physically, having Rice alongside him will help counter Liverpool’s threat in transition.
His high-level passing ability, and his intelligence, which has been praised by Arteta, means that he is capable of stepping in unexpectedly against top-level opposition such as Man City and Liverpool.
Allowing Rice, who leads Europe for interceptions in the final third, to push forward, could help Arsenal win the ball higher up the pitch, and Jorginho could also help progress the ball to the front three to try and create more chances.
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