Arsenal icon Tony Adams believes Manchester City will beat Mikel Arteta’s side if they can silence Bukayo Saka. Yet he doubts Pep Guardiola will start Nathan Ake in his best defence.
The Gunners play host to their Premier League title rivals on Wednesday night in a top-of-the-table tussle. Arteta’s team go into the meeting leading the Citizens by three points and have a game in hand. But Guardiola’s squad will move top if they win at Emirates Stadium.
Manchester City have the edge on Arsenal on goal difference at +34 to +28 through 22 and 21 games. The Etihad Stadium side also boast the division’s best offence with 56 goals over Arsenal with 46. Erling Haaland tops the Golden Boot race with 25 of the Citizens’ haul yet.
Martin Odegaard is Arsenal’s lead scorer with eight goals over Saka and Gabriel Martinelli with seven. But Saka is also the Gunners’ lead playmaker on eight assists to Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus on six. Kevin De Bruyne (12) leads Bernardo Silva (5) for assists at the Etihad.
Now, Adams believes Manchester City will beat Arsenal if Guardiola builds his game plan on stopping Saka. The Gunners great feels the 21-year-old is fundamental to how Arteta’s side operates. So, sides stopping the 24-cap England star from shining can also silence Arsenal.
Adams believes Man City will beat Arsenal if Guardiola silences Saka
Saka is one of seven Arsenal players whom Arteta has started in each of their matches this season. Yet Guardiola has only started Ederson in each of Manchester City’s fixtures so far this term. So, Adams also questions what side the Etihad natives will field in north London.
If Guardiola plays Ake at left-back and uses Manchester City’s best defence, Adams tips the reigning champions to silence Saka and beat Arsenal. Yet having just let Joao Cancelo join Bayern Munich on loan with a £61.5m option to buy, Guardiola has left Adams guessing.
“If he puts Nathan Ake at left-back and plays his best back four, I think City will win the game,” Adams wrote in a column for The Sun.
“But I’m not convinced that’s what he’ll do. And if he continues to mess about with his formation, he’ll have no one to deal with Saka – who has been brilliant all season for both Arsenal and England.
“Stop Saka and you stop Arsenal. It’s as simple as that because every time an opposing left-back has a good game against them, they struggle. But Guardiola has just allowed Joao Cancelo to leave and I don’t think he actually knows his best team anymore.”
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