How Vermaelen BETTERED Koscielny and Mertesacker with his display against City

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Third-wheel Arsenal centre-back had an impressive game against City.

Thomas Vermaelen has had a disappointing season, finding himself the odd man out in the Arsenal defence.

Laurent Koscienly and Per Mertesacker have been undroppable, so supreme has their form largely been, and the Belgian has had to bide his time.

Many have assumed the defender will be off this summer, and that still may be the case, if so he has a great chance to put himself in the shop window at present.

An injury to Laurent Koscielny has given Vermaelen a chance to get a run of games ahead of the World Cup, and he gave it his all during the 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the weekend.

As the Arsenal defence stood resolute to stop City building on their one goal advantage, Vermaelen was a rock – winning eight aerial duels.

Remarkably, this figure bettered any individual effort Koscielny or Mertesacker had mustered this season.

It’s particularly impressive for Vermaelen considered he was beaten to a header by Wilfried Bony in midweek, who headed Swansea into an early lead against the Gunners.

It illustrates this is a part of his game he may have concentrated on with a determination to make a marked improvement.

The match was only Vermaelen’s fifth start of the Premier League season, but it showed if he can be convinced to stick around, he could just become a very useful player for the Gunners just yet.