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Arsenal Vs Sheffield United: 5 key players to watch – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang absence

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Referee Paul Tierney shows a red card to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal FC at Selhurst Park on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Referee Paul Tierney shows a red card to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal FC at Selhurst Park on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 11: Referee Paul Tierney shows a red card to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal FC at Selhurst Park on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) /

Arsenal host Sheffield United on Saturday with a swathe of injuries to deal with. Here are five key players to watch ahead of the Premier League tie.

For Arsenal, the Premier League rumbles on. And this weekend, it is an excellent and vastly overlooked Sheffield United side that arrive at the Emirates. With a terrific defensive record, one of the least-valued central midfielders in the Premier League in Oliver Norwood, and a brilliant back-three system that Chris Wilder has mastered during his time at Bramall Lane, this is no gimme for the Gunners, who were played off the park in a 1-0 defeat in the return fixture in October.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — The Rebuild 2.0

So, with such a difficult task ahead of them, here five key players to watch.

Arsenal
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 01: David Luiz of Arsenal gesticulates during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on January 01, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) /

5. David Luiz

David Luiz has been critical to the Mikel Arteta system since the Spaniard’s appointment in late December. After struggling for form following his summer arrival, Luiz has excelled under Arteta, his passing range and aggressive positioning helping Arsenal to play out from the back smoothly and press high with intensity.

Against Crystal Palace, Arsenal struggled to control the game when Luiz was unable to break the defensive lines with progressive passes. His switches of play to Sead Kolasinac and fired balls into the feet of Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil helped move Arsenal into attacking areas of the pitch. But once Palace keyed onto these passes and prevented their completion, the Gunners’ attacking play capitulated.

Sokratis, Luiz’s centre-half partner, does not have nearly the same passing range. Palace knew it. So rather than dropping off Arsenal, they positioned themselves a little higher up the pitch and forced the ball to Sokratis, who was unable to pick apart their defensive structure. If Arsenal want to break down Sheffield United on Saturday, it will have to come from Luiz and his sublime distribution.