Arsenal Vs Manchester City: 5 key players to watch – Defeating the best

4. Granit Xhaka

Granit Xhaka has been revitalised under Mikel Arteta. Playing in a lopsided central midfield position that allows him to slide to the left side when Arsenal have safe and well-controlled possession, Xhaka’s weaknesses when dealing with high pressure and having to beat defenders with quick passes or clever first touches are limited and his passing range comes to the fore.

It has been wonderful to see his ressurrection after a torrid time under Unai Emery which left him on the verge of leaving the club. However, if there is a team to cause Xhaka problems in and around the midfield, it is this Manchester City team.

They execute a suffocating high press across the entire pitch, they pass quickly with small, agile players, they require the opposing midfield to cover large spaces to shield the defence, they work their attacking angles to pull opponents out of their positions and then explode forwards with quick combinations to exploit the extra space. These are processes that can make Xhaka look silly. Let’s hope he is able to live up to the test.