Arsenal: 3 players Mikel Arteta laid the gauntlet down to

1. Nicolas Pepe

While like Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe was left on the bench in favour of younger replacements, where the Frenchman was brought off the bench with Arsenal chasing the game, Arteta turned to 20-year-old Reiss Nelson, not Pepe, in search of some offensive inspiration. Whether it was meant or not, it is a shot across Pepe’s bow.

Pepe cost £72 million less than a year ago. He is the club’s record goalscorer, was signed to dominate matches like these, just as de Bruyne did for City, and should be able to beat out a teenager who had switched flanks and a 20-year-old to play. And yet, Arteta trusted the youngsters.

Of course, we have no insight into what has happened in training, how the players have performed, how committed they are to the Arteta project, something that is extremely important to the Spaniard. Nevertheless, it is telling that Pepe was not even a part of the gameplan, however impactful the early injuries may have been.

The Ivorian, it seems, has some work to do to earn Arteta’s favour. He will be hoping that he is given a chance to earn a starting role.