Arsenal starter has been so ‘unlike himself’ recently that he must be dropped against Brentford
Mikel Arteta should be tempted to make some changes to his Arsenal squad to face Brentford on matchday 26.
The Premier League title race is heating up, at least that’s what non-Arsenal fans want you to believe.
The Gunners remain six points clear, just as they did at the start of matchweek 25, giving Mikel Arteta a clear incentive to keep Arsenal’s lead over Manchester City intact.
Next up come Brentford, who aren’t a team to underestimate at the Gtech Community Stadium, losing just twice at home all season.
If you had one message for Mikel Arteta ahead of facing Brentford, what would it be?
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Mikel Arteta should drop William Saliba against Brentford
Arteta should make some changes against Brentford, particularly after what was seen against Sunderland in the previous Premier League fixture.
Gabriel Jesus wasn’t great against Sunderland, while Viktor Gyokeres was, so there’s one obvious change for the Arsenal boss to make.
Another change could come in defence, but it would be a real shock, as William Saliba is one of the first names on Arteta’s team sheet.
Arsenal fans were concerned about Saliba against Sunderland, and for good reason, as the Frenchman was run ragged by Brian Brobbey.
It was wondered if Saliba would be hooked at half-time as he was booked amid his struggles, which prompted one TalkingPoints user to sum the defender’s performance up as ‘very strange’.
Prove me wrong, William Saliba should be rested against Brentford.
Credit: Getty Images/Marc Atkins
“Very strange performance. I thought he actually started well, but he looked so unlike himself after the yellow card,” they posted.
Whether Saliba was tired or simply struggling against Brobbey, the 24-year-old’s display attracted unwanted attention, and Arteta must react.
It could be wise for the boss to give Saliba a rest by starting him on the bench, particularly as Arsenal have shown that they can handle Brentford without him already this season.
The France international was injured when Arsenal hosted the Bees in December, and Cristhian Mosquera did a fine job in his absence.
Even if Saliba hadn’t triggered alarm bells against Sunderland, his participation against Brentford should’ve been debated.
That’s because the centre-back has been playing so much football recently, arguably too much.
What changes would you make to our predicted Arsenal XI vs Brentford? 👀
Arsenal Predicted XI vs Brentford
Saliba has recorded 10 consecutive 90 minutes in the Premier League, on top of playing three 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup in that period.
With Arsenal playing four games in the span of 10 days, players need rest where possible, and Arteta must manage minutes wisely.
A player as important as Saliba must be preserved, making the defender’s role in the action ahead something to track.
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