Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs Everton: 5 key players to watch – Top-four race is on

By Andrew Dowdeswell

PIRAEUS, GREECE - FEBRUARY 20: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal FC reacts during the UEFA Europa League round of 32 first leg match between Olympiacos FC and Arsenal FC at Karaiskakis Stadium on February 20, 2020 in Piraeus, Greece. (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)
PIRAEUS, GREECE - FEBRUARY 20: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal FC reacts during the UEFA Europa League round of 32 first leg match between Olympiacos FC and Arsenal FC at Karaiskakis Stadium on February 20, 2020 in Piraeus, Greece. (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Alexandre Lacazette
PIRAEUS, GREECE – FEBRUARY 20: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal FC reacts during the UEFA Europa League round of 32 first leg match between Olympiacos FC and Arsenal FC at Karaiskakis Stadium on February 20, 2020 in Piraeus, Greece. (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images) /

Arsenal host Everton on Sunday afternoon needing to win to keep their top-four hopes alive. Here are five key players to watch ahead of this crucial tilt.

After a hard-earned first-leg victory over Olympiakos in the Europa League on Thursday night, Arsenal return to Premier League duties on Sunday afternoon when they host Everton in what is a crucial tilt in the top half of the Premier League. Whether the Gunners are in the top-four race or not depends on who you ask, but they definitely won’t be without a victory against Carlo Ancelotti’s much-improved side.

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Here are five key players to watch.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 16: Hector Bellerin of Arsenal and Allan Saint Maximin of Newcastle United in action during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on February 16, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 16: Hector Bellerin of Arsenal and Allan Saint Maximin of Newcastle United in action during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on February 16, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images) /

5. Hector Bellerin

While Mikel Arteta’s management of Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been curious and noticeable, with many speculating as to why the young midfielder has seemingly disappeared from the squad, what has gone unsaid in that time has been the immediate and consistent reintroduction of Hector Bellerin as the established starter.

Upon his return from a hamstring strain, Bellerin was ushered straight into the starting XI and has been everpresent ever since. He was excellent in the heroic 2-2 draw against Chelsea, his first start under Arteta, and he hung onto the coattails of Allan Saint-Maximinin last weekend, the Newcastle United winger posing one of the most difficult match-ups in the league.

Everton also possess similarly threatening attacking players. Richarlison is a terrific dribbler and will drift out to the left, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is pacy and will run in between the full-backs and centre-backs, while Bernard is a capable dribbler from the left wing also. Bellerin, then, like last weekend, must be alert defensively.