Arsenal Vs Manchester City: Per Mertesacker’s crowning glory?

Per Mertesacker perhaps played his best performance in his footballing career in the FA Cup final last season. Against Manchester City on Sunday, the Arsenal defender will have to channel the same organisational, defensive qualities.

As Arsenal prepared to face Premier League champions Chelsea in the FA Cup final, they faced a defensive crisis. Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi and Gabriel Paulista were all missing. And with Arsene Wenger implementing a three-at-the-back system, three, not two centre-halves, were required.

Related Story: Arsenal Vs Manchester City: 5 key players to watch

Options were running dry. In fact, Wenger had to turn to Nacho Monreal, who was in the midst of a switch from left-back to left-sided centre-half, and youngster Rob Holding to fill out his team. But it was the man who anchored the defence that day who stole, justifiably, all the headlines.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

Per Mertesacker had not made a single start all season. He was unfit, he was, ostensibly, unprepared. He was ageing. And he was against the best team in the country, in Chelsea, and the best attacker, in Eden Hazard. None of it mattered. The German played with surreal assuredness. He marshalled Diego Costa with great nuance and control. He defended with resilience and determination. He was, in a word, magnificent. And now, he must do it all again.

As Arsenal prepare to play the best team in the country, they face a defensive crisis. Laurent Koscielny is dealing with an ailing Achilles injury and will be short of full match sharpness, Shkodran Mustafi will miss the fixture through a thigh injury, and Gabriel Paulista has been sold. Mertesacker, then, will have to be the hero once more.

And if Arsenal are smart and play to the strengths of the slowing centre-half, then they may be able to manage 90 minutes against the blistering Manchester City attack. Because, although Mertesacker, if exposed, can be exploited by a quicker, sharper attacker, when he is in a position to sit deep, keep the play in front of him, and simply read the game, then he can inspire defensive performances like in last season’s FA Cup final.

However, if City are able to isolate him, giving Gabriel Jesus or Raheem Sterling, or Leroy Sane a one-on-one situation with space in the channel to drive into, then Mertesacker will struggle greatly. There is, in those positions, nothing he can do. He is simply slower than the attacker. But if the right protection can be provided from the midfield, as it was against Chelsea, then Mertesacker can lead this defence through a seemingly impossible task.

Next: Arsenal Vs Manchester City: Predicted starting XI

Mertesacker endeared himself to all Arsenal fans with his performance in the FA Cup final last season. Now that he has entered his final season as a player in North London, there is a romantic feeling towards him. He can crown that feeling on Sunday with another leading performance against all the odds.