26 April 2023 , 05:12
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Mikel Arteta is faced with a huge dilemma over his Arsenal starting line-up for Manchester City.
Does he stick or twist? Stick with Rob Holding in central defence who struggled against Erling Haaland ’s pace and physicality in the FA Cup tie and was substituted at half time.
Or twist and somehow get Ben White into central defence alongside Gabriel in an effort to insert more pace and also an ability to build and play out from the back?
The only viable way of doing that might be to use Kieran Tierney at left back, use Oleksandr Zinchenko on the other side as the inverted full back into midfield more on the right.
But, having resisted thus far in William Saliba’s absence, my hunch is he will go with Holding who is a solid defender even if, rather like Tierney, doesn’t quite fit into the Arteta football philosophy.
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Holding is such a popular member of the squad that it is a big call and perhaps the biggest of all because Granit Xhaka should be back after missing last Friday’s draw with Southampton through illness.
William Saliba remains absent due to injury (Getty Images)The only issue up front is Leandro Trossard and whether to make a big call on him but, bearing in mind Bukayo Saka ’s form, Gabriel Martinelli’s pace and Gabriel Jesus’ knowledge of City, I think he sticks with his front line, too.
Pep Guardiola meanwhile is due to revert back to his strongest XI after juggling his options for the FA Cup semi-final win over Sheffield United. That means hat-trick hero Riyad Mahrez could drop to the bench with Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva reprising their roles on the wings.
Erling Haaland, who scored in the reverse fixture at the Emirates, is closing in on more records and has made his excitement known on social media. City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne will also return to the midfield.
Riyad Mahrez scored a hat-trick for Man City at the weekend but could still miss out (Getty Images)In the backline, Aymeric Laporte could come in to replace Nathan Ake, who had been a regular as of late. The Spanish defender could go into a back four that that also featured Manuel Akanji, John Stones and Ruben Dias, who has underlined the importance of the clash.
He said: “I think we have been on form in the right time for a long time now. It is that time of year and every game you are either in or out with Champions League elimination rounds and also the way it goes in the Premier League."
Arsenal predicted line-up: Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Jesus.
Man City predicted line-up: Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias, Laporte, De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Grealish, Haaland