Arsenal: 5 players who must shine against Manchester City

Arsenal comes up against Manchester City on Wednesday evening.

It’s been a long-awaited return, but the Premier League is fianlly back this Wednesday evening. One of the first matches that fans can treat themselves to is a cracker, with Arsenal taking on Manchester City.

I wouldn’t be so quick to write off Arsenal, although they have disappointed against the big sides in recent years. They were in immense form heading up to the break, and Mikel Arteta will expect plenty of the same from his players. As he crafts his first XI in some time, here are five players he will expect to shine against his former club.

5. Granit Xhaka

There’s no denying that Arsenal’s philosophy relies on a steady buildup of play, with slow intricate passes before the play reaches the final third. This is why Granit Xhaka is so important to the side, as he has shown many stellar performances under the new boss.

While he is no longer the captain, Xhaka also has a very loud mouth. Arteta will persuade him to use this to his ability if he sees any of his teammates out of position. You don’t have to be a captain to be a leader, which is a pitfall in Arsenal’s mentality that Arteta must fix.