Arsenal Vs Manchester City: 5 key players to watch — Doing what he does best

3. Shkodran Mustafi

Arsenal will have to defend. A lot. That is not something that they are comfortable in doing.

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Wenger is an offensive coach. He wants his team to dictate games through their attacking creativity and their possessional control. He does not delve into the defensive details; he does not instil resolve and discipline his players; his teams do not have structure and shape. But, on Sunday, that is not something that his team will be able to do.

Communication is key in defending for long periods against relentless waves of attacks. Defending is not an individual venture. It is very much a team game, and that takes a shared understanding and execution, which requires communication. For Arsenal, that communication often stems from Shkodran Mustafi.

Now, Mustafi has his faults. He is rash, naive, and can be caught out of position. But in comparison to his teammates, he is most definitely a talker. He commands, marshalls and orchestrates, he instructs those around him, he is always pointing out issues and threats, he is talking consistently, ensuring that each individual is aware of their responsibility within the whole. This communication will be vital on Sunday, because City will not stop coming.