Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United and Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Newcastle saw the gap between the two sides has narrowed from 9 points to just 7 points.
All calls have been on Arsenal to go on a winning run and capitalise on any Liverpool points drop.On Sky Sports, Gunner legend Paul Merson seems to have given Arteta and his technical bench the easiest way to go on that winning run they crave.
Merson suggests that for Arsenal to achieve a perfect winning run and secure a strategic position in the title race, they must consistently field their strongest lineup in every game. To him, the ideal Arsenal lineup is like the one they fielded versus Sporting CP (Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Martinelli, Havertz, Saka) or like the one versus West Ham (which saw changes from the Sporting CP one, with Trossard replacing Martinelli and Jorginho replacing Partey).
That said, he suggested that even if they fail to field their strongest 11, they can always have a formidable team if Martin Ødegaard stays fit.
“If they can get their best team on the pitch that beat West Ham, then they’ve got a chance,” said Merson on Sky. “The one that beat Sporting Lisbon was their best team. If they get that on the pitch every week, they can get on a run, win six, seven games on the trot.
“I said on Super Sunday a few weeks ago, the gap to Liverpool had to get down to six points before it went to 12. It’s down to seven at the moment. Both have got difficult games this weekend, Liverpool and Arsenal.
“Arsenal have just got to stay in there, keep everybody fit, and you never, never know. But they won’t be far off. With Odegaard back, they’re a completely different team.”
Can Arsenal manage to keep their key players fit? That’s the question most Gooners would be asking themselves after listening to Merson’s claims.
Well, Mikel Arteta will have to be critical with his squad selection; he may have to embrace squad rotation if he’s to have his key players start games.
Managing key players like Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, and Riccardo Calafiori’s minutes should be the way forward.
Aside from making the right substitute calls, the Gunners should make a few top signings in the winter transfer window to inject the team with quality.
Without injuries or suspensions, nothing stops this Arsenal team… Hopefully in the next few months, they can avoid those two things.
**Daniel O**
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