Manchester City visit the Emirates to take on Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, in what could be a significant match in regard to the Premier League title race.
The Gunners cannot afford another slip-up, otherwise they risk being cut adrift from league leaders Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta will be forced to select a largely unchanged team, with his options slim due to injuries.
Bukayo Saka is out until at least March, while Gabriel Jesus, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain absent for this clash with serious long-term issues.
Despite the threadbare nature of Arsenal’s squad, Arteta’s side shouldn’t fear a City team that has looked vulnerable in recent months.
Arsenal should exploit Matheus Nunes by using Gabriel Martinelli
One of the Premier League’s top goalscorers, Erling Haaland, will be the focus of Arsenal’s worries coming into the game.
Haaland has scored 18 goals in the league this season and is a constant threat in every game he plays in.
However, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have proven that they can deal with the Norwegian, dominating him in three games last season.
Ending the clash at the Emirates with no shots last campaign, his robustness isn’t an issue for Arsenal’s centre-back partnership.
| Haaland vs Arsenal 08/10/2023 | |
| Minutes Played | 90 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Shots | 0 |
| Expected Goals | 0 |
| Key Passes | 2 |
| Expected Assists | 0.17 |
| Touches in Arsenal’s box | 4 |
Gunners fans have sent a menacing message to Haaland, and there’s no doubt that the crowd’s hostility can impact the striker’s game.
Instead of being concerned about Haaland’s threat, Arsenal should focus on what they can do to damage City.
Pep Guardiola has opted to deploy Matheus Nunes in an unconventional right-back role in recent matches.
Naturally a midfielder, while Nunes adds value to City in this role in possession, he’s not accustomed to dealing with tricky wingers in isolated areas.
This should inform Arteta’s team selection on the left-wing.
The Spaniard could pick either Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli, both of whom have garnered form of late.
The Arsenal boss should favour the latter in this match, to best capitalise on the space Nunes may leave.
What Martinelli lacks in guile, he makes up for in pace, and his electric speed should be able to exploit the Portuguese’s defensive inefficiencies.
In what is likely to be a tight affair in North London, Martinelli’s one-on-one battle against Nunes could be the most profitable route to unlocking the City defence for Arsenal.
Ethan Nwaneri should start on the right for Arsenal against Man City
Unfortunately for Trossard, the Belgian shouldn’t start against City.
With Martinelli deployed on the left, Ethan Nwaneri becomes the obvious choice on the right.
Spanish media were drooling over Nwaneri’s performance against Girona in midweek, and this should’ve merited him a start in this game.
The 17-year-old scored a stunning goal against the La Liga outfit, cutting in on his left-foot and bending the ball into the far corner, beyond Paul Lopez.
Nwaneri has been the most accomplished deputy to the absent Saka, providing attributes that the 23-year-old brings that no other option in this role has been able to showcase.
As shown by his goal against Girona, he’s also capable of breaking open a cagey match with an accurate long-range effort, which could be the difference against City.
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