3 Bukayo Saka alternatives for Arsenal vs Man United – ranked

An engrossing battle between two of English football’s biggest clubs awaits as Arsenal travel to Manchester United on Thursday. But who do they travel with?

There are plenty of intriguing selection calls for Mikel Arteta to make, the like of which will be heavily discussed well beyond the full-time whistle. They always are. Every single one.

Michael Carrick has his own decisions to make having surprisingly left Cristiano Ronaldo out of the starting lineup to face Chelsea last time out, a call that resulted in an angry response from the 36-year-old.

But for Arteta it’s all about left-back, attacking midfield, and right-winger.

3 Bukayo Saka alternatives for Arsenal as they prepare to face Manchester United in the Premier League with concerns over his fitness

Whether experience is going to be vital or not will play a part in dictating whether Kieran Tierney gets the nod over Nuno Tavares, who has been continuing his strong run of form in the team since the Scot’s injury.

Martin Odegaard will be as desperate as Alexandre Lacazette to be in the starting lineup against United although he will fancy his chances having been chosen against Newcastle, but it’s all eyes on whether Bukayo Saka will be passed fit to start.

Due to be assessed in Wednesday’s training session, Arteta stated that he was ‘hopeful’ of the 20-year-old being involved. As supporters will well know, the manager tends to hold his cards close to his chest and isn’t one to always speak candidly when it comes to team news.

Even if he is, ‘hopeful’ isn’t the definitive answer fans might have wanted.

So, should Saka not be fit to start, who should? There are three standout candidates for the spot, some who suit it more than others.

3. Emile Smith Rowe

If Saka isn’t playing then Emile Smith Rowe goes from being 100% certain to start up to 110% certain to start. The idea of heading to Old Trafford and having neither on the pitch is as terrifying as it is damning considering how reliant this team is on the youngsters.

But he should only play out on his favoured left side. Performing brilliantly in both the No. 10 and left-sided forward roles, it’s the latter that has been rubberstamped as his best and there is no reason at all to move him away from there. Similarly, there should be no more experimenting with Saka, whose spot on the right is his inverted groove.

There is nothing to say that Smith Rowe can’t perform well on the right. It’s just not the right decision to take in a game of this magnitude. The mantra of playing your best players in their best positions shouldn’t be ignored in this case.

In Arsenal’s five lanes of attack, the reason Smith Rowe has been so effective on the left is that he can pick up the 2nd of those lane (going from left to right) while on the opposite flank he’ll be asked to take up the 5th slot more often. Takehiro Tomiyasu isn’t constantly providing width and as he masters the late runs into the box, the opportunities to do so are greater if he’s playing closer to goal.

If he were to be moved onto the right it also means Martinelli will play on the left, and with Aubameyang in the team there are two players down that side who can often be found in similar zones. The structure of the front line will be unbalanced.

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2. Nicolas Pepe

Yes he does still exist, and yes he is still unbelievably infuriating on the ball.

He’s also a goal threat. One of few genuine danger men in the team where even if they’re having poor games there is still enough in them to pop up with a goal or an assist.

Having Emile Smith Rowe, Odegaard and Martinelli as the three behind Aubameyang is more preferable as a trio, yet Pepe being on the right instead of Smith Rowe injects some shooting quality in and around the box that few others possess.

Pepe is capable of getting a shot off in tight areas and weaving his way past challenges, and against a United defence that has conceded 22 goals in their 13 Premier League matches so far, the decision to include a player who can pick out the top corner from 25 yards just as easily as he can beat three men before whipping a cross in is made easier.

If only such moments were more regular.

Tactically it’s impossible to call how this game will pan out as United could adopt numerous approaches, but if it were to end up as a transitional game then Pepe’s pace and finishing can be a useful weapon.

The problem is, his gun misfires four out of five times.

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1. Gabriel Martinelli

For the sake of balance, a front four of Smith Rowe, Odegaard and Martinelli on the right with Aubameyang at centre-forward can be seen lacking in certain areas.

There are two players in that attack who want to attack the box and be direct, so using Lacazette as the No. 9 would actually suit Martinelli, and Smith Rowe, that bit more. That said, Arteta will never drop Aubameyang and therefore tactical work has to be done to find symmetry within the team.

But it’s possible and, in having Martinelli on the right, not only is he the option most would prefer over Pepe, he also keeps Smith Rowe out on his best flank.

Bursting with life and constantly stretching the opposition back four with off-the-ball runs, he brings unpredictability and directness down the right hand side. These are traits Pepe may lay claim to, although unpredictability few will agree he possesses.

There is also scope for interchangeability in forward areas, as seen when Saka came over to the left against Newcastle, with Martinelli picking up central zones and constantly keeping the United backline shifting around where their collectively poor spatial awareness can be exploited.

As far as choosing between the three options, it’s relatively straightforward: Smith Rowe is best out on the left, Pepe looks way off where this team needs to be, and Martinelli has confidence surging through his veins and energy to burn.

If Saka is fit? Well, he plays. Of course. We all know that.