Arsenal host Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon, and Mikel Arteta has a huge team selection decision to make ahead of the clash.
The Gunners are riding high at the top of the Premier League, while Arteta’s team thrashed Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, meaning they’ll be even more buoyant for the visit of Oliver Glasner’s side.
That said, the Eagles will provide the North Londoners with an extremely stern test, with Palace currently boasting the second-best expected goals difference in the league.
Arteta will have to make sure he uses his squad wisely and picks the optimum side for the game against the South London outfit.
Ethan Nwaneri should start instead of Eberechi Eze against Crystal Palace
Eberechi Eze wasn’t at his best against Atletico Madrid, and has struggled generally over the last two matches.
The attacking midfielder isn’t quite producing what Martin Odegaard can produce in the advanced right eight role.
He’s still getting to grips with having to be the central fulcrum of the Arsenal attack, which demands a lot more than what his role at Palace required.
The Gunners entertain the Eagles on Sunday, and this might actually be the right time to take Eze out of the spotlight. Declan Rice struggled in his first few games against West Ham for Arsenal, and it’s possible that Eze will endure similar issues against Palace.
The South London club meant so much to him, and thus, he may find the emotion of the occasion too difficult to overcome.
Meanwhile, Ethan Nwaneri has impressed in his limited outings so far this season. The teenager has looked excellent impersonating Odegaard, doing similar things to the Norwegian in the build-up that Arsenal have missed.
The Gunners could do with Nwaneri’s ability to provide Bukayo Saka with a combination option inside and his ability to progress the ball from deep.
It’s a difficult decision that Arteta must make for this specific match.
Eberechi Eze needs to be used on the left-side of the pitch
Odegaard has always been a right-sided midfielder for Arsenal.
Arteta has slightly altered his system this season, so that Rice is playing more in a double pivot with Martin Zubimendi, meaning the creative player in the midfield is given more license to roam.
However, they are ostensibly still a right eight, and this doesn’t suit Eze.
The England international has always operated on the left-hand side of the pitch throughout his career, as the angles this creates give him more opportunities to influence the game.
When Odegaard returns, he could certainly play as a tucked-in left winger, and this would likely be the role that maximises his strengths.
However, for the time being, Arteta must find a way to use the £67.5 million signing in the areas where he’s more comfortable.
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