Do Arsenal go into Sunday’s Premier League blockbuster in opposition to Manchester Metropolis as favourites?
Between November 2017 and April 2023, the Gunners confronted the Residents 16 instances, shedding 15 of them, their sole victory coming in an FA Cup semi-final behind-closed-doors, en path to lifting the trophy in 2020.
Now although, Mikel Arteta is unbeaten in 5 conferences with Pep Guardiola, in search of a 3rd successive residence win over Man Metropolis, one thing Arsenal final achieved in 2009, following February’s 5-1 humbling of Erling Braut Håland and associates.
If the Gunners are to prevail once more on Sunday, thereby asserting themselves as the first challengers to champions Liverpool, Arteta have to be daring and begin his younger expertise “higher than Phil Foden”.
Mikel Merino’s position within the Arsenal group
Few Arsenal gamers in latest instances have been fairly so troublesome to determine as Mikel Merino.
The media-driven narrative following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Anfield final month, wherein Merino began alongside Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice, was that Arteta had began three defensive midfielders in opposition to Liverpool.
Effectively, this concept was confirmed to be complete nonsense throughout the subsequent week, as Merino scored 4 targets in two video games for Spain, heading residence a Lamine Yamal nook in opposition to Bulgaria in Sofia, earlier than bagging a hat-trick because the European champions demolished Türkiye 6-0 in Konya.
In consequence, Merino began the win over Nottingham Forest, Rice given a relaxation, with Arteta stating that this was as a result of his compatriot was in “a very excessive emotional state and I need to use that when a participant is in that second”.
He was glorious within the left-eight place, which might be his greatest position on this group, earlier than deputising for the injured Martin Ødegaard in opposition to Athletic Membership Bilbao on Tuesday, trying much less comfy on the other aspect, it must be mentioned.
Arguably, the 29-year-old’s greatest performances for Arsenal have come as an emergency striker, beginning just about each sport there from Valentine’s Day onwards final season, scoring seven targets, notably netting in opposition to Actual Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea and others.
This weekend, if Merino’s title is on the group sheet, it’s going to be as a right-sided attacking midfielder as soon as once more, given that’s persevering with to Ødegaard nurse his shoulder damage, however Arteta clearly has an possibility extra fitted to this position.
The Arsenal teenager who’s been higher than Phil Foden
On each Merseyside final month and within the Basque Nation in mid-week, the travelling Arsenal supporters have been just about universally upset to not see the title Ethan Nwaneri within the beginning line-up.
In the summertime, regardless of some hypothesis that Chelsea have been , {the teenager} signed a brand new five-year contract with the membership, stating “signing this contract means every little thing to me… I am so excited for what I can convey… I need to assist us win as a lot as attainable”.
That is an apparent present of religion from the membership, so it’s now time for Arteta to show he trusts him too.
Final season, Nwaneri scored 9 targets throughout all competitions, eight of which got here earlier than his 18th birthday in March, a document solely Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney can higher within the Premier League-era.
Nonetheless, this season, he’s but to begin a match, an unused substitute in all three away video games, albeit he is seen a big quantity of enjoying time in opposition to each Leeds and Nottingham Forest, launched throughout the first half of each resulting from accidents suffered by Ødegaard.
Even in matches they’re profitable and scoring targets, Arteta’s group are struggling to create a excessive quantity of open-play modifications, one thing Nwaneri might absolutely assist to deal with, so let’s evaluate him to the present occupant of that midfield place Merino.
Nwaneri vs Merino 2024/25 | ||
|---|---|---|
Stat | Nwaneri | Merino |
Appearances | 37 | 44 |
Minutes | 1,378 | 2,635 |
Objectives | 9 | 9 |
Assists | 2 | 5 |
Objectives – xG | +4.1 | +2 |
Photographs on course % | 46.5% | 36.7% |
Progressive carries | 56 | 16 |
Take-ons accomplished | 40 | 9 |
Take-on success % | 68% | 47% |
Shot-creating actions per 90 | 2.65 | 2.36 |
Possibilities created per 90 | 1.3 | 0.8 |
Touches per 90 | 58.2 | 47.8 |
Common Sofascore score | 7.11 | 7.10 |
by way of FBref, Squawka and Sofascore | ||
Because the desk paperwork, regardless of enjoying round half as many minutes, Nwaneri scored as many targets as Merino final season, whereas all the Englishman’s underlying statistics are extra spectacular.
The 18-year-old registered greater than 3 times as many progressive carries, additionally accumulating extra possibilities created, in addition to round ten extra touches per sport, underlining their stylistic variations.
One of many highlights of Nwaneri’s breakout marketing campaign got here throughout the aforementioned mauling of Manchester Metropolis in February, scoring the stunner to finish the 5-1 rout.
Jacek Kulig of Soccer Expertise Scout labelled Nwaneri an “unimaginable expertise”, whereas former Watford striker Troy Deeney in contrast him to Jack Wilshere, including that “he’s been higher than Phil Foden”, a participant he’ll come straight up in opposition to on Sunday.
So, if Arteta is to be daring and take the sport to a susceptible Man Metropolis aspect, one which has already been overwhelmed by Spurs and Brighton this season, Nwaneri must be unleashed come Sunday afternoon.
