Arteta could bench Havertz and Gyokeres to start Arsenal's “modern-day Ljungberg”.
Is this the day the demons were cast out of Arsenal? Or will Mikel Arteta's men be successful in the Premier League title race again?
Three years ago, the Gunners went to the Etihad boasting a five-point lead over reigning champions Manchester City, although Pep Guardiola's side have won two games in hand over their title rivals.
It looked like a deserved win for the visitors, although there was a difference in class on the day, Kevin De Bruyne and the chaos that accompanied them in that 4-1 victory for the hosts.
It's like April 2023, the title won't be won this afternoon, but it could be greatly lost if Arsenal go down again, with Arteta facing the most important selection decisions of his time in north London so far.
Why would Gyokeres and Havertz both leave the Etihad
Fitness wise, the backline and midfield unit will pick themselves at the Etihad, with the main concern likely to be Arsenal's attacking formation, particularly in midfield.
It's fair to say that the use of Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres as a partnership in last weekend's defeat to Bournemouth was a bit of a back-and-forth, and the German looks to be working hard in that number ten position.
Gyokeres, to his credit, ran the channels from the penalty area, although he followed up with a poor performance against former club Sporting CP in midweek, caught after 56 minutes and registering 14 touches throughout the night.
There will also be concerns about the Swede's previous record against the Premier League's elite this season, failing to score against any of the so-called 'Big Six' clashes, apart from relegation strugglers Tottenham Hotspur.
When push came to shove, the 27-year-old was lost in those tough times, failing to register a single shot in last month's Carabao Cup final defeat, after struggling earlier in the league meeting between the two.
Havertz, meanwhile, squandered his crucial chance in the early stages of Wembley, with the former Chelsea man yet to score in an injury-plagued Premier League season.
No one turned up to the party when the two sides met in March, confirming that Arteta could take a different approach this time around.
Arteta may bench Havertz and Gyokeres for the new Ljungberg
It's now or never for the Gunners under this Arteta regime, when someone needs to step up to the plate and grab this title race by the horns.
New Willian: Arsenal's £52m star should not be near the starting XI
There is a limp in the line and something Arsenal have been doing in recent weeks, with one attacking star struggling.
Back in 2001/02, the last seven games of that Premier League season saw Swedish hero Freddie Ljungberg score six goals in the run-in, and it was his first effort that led to Sylvain Wiltord's title win at Old Trafford.
Ever the man for the big occasion, Ljungberg had already netted against Manchester United and Liverpool earlier in the campaign, and went on to score in the FA Cup final win over Chelsea.
While usually deployed on the right, Ljungberg at his best was a true match-winner and game-changer for Arsene Wenger's side, something Leandro Trossard could be today.
Hailed as “a modern-day Freddie Ljungberg” by journalist James Dodd, Trossard has had his moments of brilliance in an Arsenal shirt so far, netting City's memorable Community Shield victory in 2023.
During his time at the Emirates and former club Brighton and Hove Albion, he scored six against Liverpool, four against Chelsea, four against Spurs, four against Aston Villa, three against Man City and two against Manchester United, a repeated thorn in the side of the top team.
That has come with the Belgian operating on the left side, although a trip to the Etihad could provide an opportunity to switch to a false nine role, given the woes of both Havertz and Gyokeres.
|
Arsenal XI vs Man City – April 2023 |
|
|---|---|
|
Position |
The player |
|
GK |
Ramsdale |
|
RB |
White |
|
CB |
Catching up |
|
CB |
Gabriel |
|
LB |
Zinchenko |
|
DM |
The party |
|
CM |
Odegaard |
|
CM |
Xhaka |
|
RW |
Saka |
|
ST |
Jesus |
|
LW |
Martinelli |
Working as a top or second striker in his career so far, he has scored or assisted 35 times in 71 games, according to Transfermarkt, showing why it wouldn't cost him in the end.
At Arsenal, in particular, his record as a center forward stands at 20 goals and assists in just 25 games, three in eight games as a second striker.
He may not be as obvious a target as Havertz and Gyokeres, but that approach doesn't seem to be working right now, with Marc Guehi and others likely to enjoy that kind of physical rivalry.
Trossard's fall from deep would cause a lot of confusion in that sense, as he is 31 and unremarkable in front of goal, with his five league goals this season coming from Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka and Gyokeres in Arteta's ranks.
It is at this stage of the season that the best players shine, like Ljungberg and his team-mates in their brilliance, with Trossard having the chance to cement his own legendary status with a match-winner on Sunday.
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