Gary Neville recently shared his thoughts on what Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta should consider for the upcoming showdown against Manchester City.
With key players like Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice unavailable, Neville offers a strategic insight on how Arteta might approach this crucial game.
Arsenal’s Recent Success Against Tottenham
Arsenal managed a narrow 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Sunday, despite missing some important names.
The only goal of the match came from defender Gabriel Magalhaes, who headed in a corner from Bukayo Saka in the 64th minute.
This win keeps Arsenal’s unbeaten run in the Premier League intact, placing them just two points behind City ahead of their highly anticipated clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Neville’s Prediction for Arteta’s Tactics
Neville suggests that Arteta will likely stick with the defensive lineup that worked well against Tottenham.
He believes the main adjustment will be the return of Declan Rice from suspension, which means Jorginho might make way.
Leandro Trossard, who stepped in as an attacking midfielder due to Odegaard’s ankle injury, impressed Neville and is expected to keep his place in the starting eleven.
In his podcast, Neville noted: “I think Arteta will bring Rice back for Jorginho and keep everything else the same.
Trossard did a solid job as the number 10, so I don’t see him making any changes there.”
Arteta’s Consistent Approach
Neville praised Arteta for his confidence in maintaining a stable lineup.
He commented, “Arteta is not one for surprising us with tactical changes. His stability and confidence in his team mean he doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel.
When you have a team that functions well together, there’s no need for drastic changes.”
Champions League Preparations
Before facing City, Arsenal will kick off their Champions League campaign with an away match against Atalanta on Thursday.
Neville doesn’t anticipate significant rotation for this game, except for potential inclusions like Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, who came on as substitutes against Tottenham.
Neville added, “I believe Arteta will trust his core group of 12 or 13 players.
He might bring in Jesus and Sterling, but I don’t expect a lot of rotation.
It’s crucial to trust that these players can handle the Sunday-Thursday-Sunday schedule.”
Injury Concerns
Arsenal’s injury list includes Odegaard, as well as defenders Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Kieran Tierney.
Midfielder Mikel Merino is also sidelined, adding to Arteta’s challenges as he prepares his squad for the busy fixtures ahead.
So, with these considerations, it’ll be interesting to see how Arteta lines up against Manchester City and manages his team’s fitness and strategy in the coming weeks.