Bernd Leno might be the only thing standing between Arsenal and a heavy defeat today.
Charlie Nicholas has told Sky Sports that he feels very sorry for Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
No team has scored more goals in the Premier League this season than Manchester City [44] and Pep Guardiola’s side visit the Gunners at the Emirates this evening.
Considering that Arsenal have conceded 24 goals in 16 outings, it could be a long 90 minutes for the North Londoners, who will be overseen by interim coach Freddie Ljungberg again.
Ljungberg does not exactly have the best defence in England to work with, but Leno is a genuinely class keeper.
And Nicholas claims that the 27-year-old will get nothing by way of protection from his back four today.
He said to Sky Sports: “I really have sympathy for Bernd Leno. He is a top-class goalkeeper but he will make mistakes as all goalkeepers do.
“He is playing behind a defence who do not protect him. There will be loads of goals in this.”
Leno is a much better goalkeeper than David Luiz or Sokratis are centre-back, but the German is powerless if the team-mates in front of him aren’t doing their jobs adequately.
This is a wounded Man City team, one with a lot of goals in them, and you do fear for Arsenal players – and Ljungberg – if the Sky Blues turn them over later on.
Despite last week’s 3-1 win at West Ham, the Emirates side aren’t brimming with confidence right now and a heavy defeat could set them back in a big way.
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