This will be a significant blow for the Gunners, who will now rely on Ben White to stifle the threat posed by City’s attacking trio of Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, and Erling Haaland.
The last time these two teams met, Arsenal lost 3-1 at the Emirates, despite enjoying more possession than their title rivals for long periods. Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s coach, acknowledged that his players performed well but could not match City’s clinical finishing in the box.
Read also: Arsenal’s Risky Transfer Decision Could Jeopardize Their Premier League Title Hopes.
Speaking ahead of the game, Arteta highlighted the importance of not making any mistakes against top teams, saying, “Big teams, they punish you straight away. For many periods in that game, we did really, really well and we deserved much better. But again, we had one or two moments that we gave them, and in those moments, the game was over.”
In Saliba’s absence, White must have his best game of the season to keep Grealish, his England teammate, quiet. Grealish has been impressive since joining City and has often influenced big games, including the win against Arsenal.
White, who has shifted out from his previous central role to accommodate Saliba, has impressed on the right of defense. However, there had been talk of him moving back to his central position, but it seems that Rob Holding will retain his starting berth despite some shaky performances.
The margin for error against top teams is slim, and Arsenal must be at their best to get a positive result at the Etihad. As Arteta said, “You can’t give anything away. That’s for sure.”
Follow us on Twitter for more news updates.
