Fabio Vieira helped turn the tide against Fulham. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
3. Fabio Vieira
Kai Havertz has so far been utilised by Arteta in a fluid role that sees him occupy a variety of positions. However, defining the German’s role in Arteta’s subtly new setup has been tough.
Nevertheless, Havertz simply hasn’t done enough to warrant a start on Sunday. While it’s simply too early to write him off yet, it’d be best if he sat out of the limelight for a little while.
If Havertz is dropped, then Arteta has a big decision to make. Does he opt for security and start both Partey and Declan Rice or does he go bold and utilise Fabio Vieira in a role similar to one Granit Xhaka performed last season? While Vieira cannot replicate what Xhaka provided without the ball, last week he showed potential from a creative perspective in the left half-space and down the left flank.
The Portuguese creator starred off the bench against Fulham and played a leading role in Arsenal’s second-half resurgence, but has he done enough to warrant a start in such a big game?
Continued on the next slide…
pic.twitter.com/ldSv6KMRHa
<p>— afcsphere (@afcsphere) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"https://twitter.com/afcsphere/status/1695542068351803570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>August 26, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<h2>1. Oleksandr Zinchenko</h2>
<p>A calf injury sustained at the end of last season meant Zinchenko missed the entire summer, and he’s only featured twice off the bench so far. However, he played over 40 minutes last weekend and is surely ready for a return to the starting XI.</p>
<p>Without the Ukrainian and Jurrien Timber, Arteta has utilised Thomas Partey in an inverted right-back role, but it simply hasn’t worked. While Partey has performed pretty well individually, the once deadly dynamic down the right with Ben White overlapping Bukayo Saka has been lost.</p>
<p>And against Fulham, left-back Jakub Kiwior rarely ventured down the left touchline which meant both wingers were isolated.</p>
<p>Should Zinchenko come back in, White should return to right-back and we’ll likely see last season’s fluent dynamics on full display. The inverted left-back is a key spoke in Arteta’s wheel. He makes everything tick.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 player who must start vs Man Utd </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_135975" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-135975" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1707,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1581727979-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1581727979-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1581727979-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1581727979-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1581727979-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Gabriel’s omission from the starting XI has been strange. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<h2>2. Gabriel</h2>
<p>Perhaps the strangest sub-plot of Arsenal’s season so far has been Gabriel’s omission from the starting XI. A reliable and consistent performer last time out, Gabriel has been benched for all three games so far despite featuring heavily throughout the pre-season.</p>
<p>While it appears that the decision is purely tactical, the Brazilian has been linked with the Saudi Pro League and I find it hard to believe that Arteta has merely dropped the defender for tactical reasons. There has to be more to it.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, while the Saudi transfer window will still be open by the time Sunday’s game rolls around, I think every supporter across the globe wants Gabriel back in the starting XI. He’s a dominant present in both boxes, a valuable leader, and a defender who’s maturing by the game.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 player who must start vs Man Utd </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_136115" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136115" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1066,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1625803557.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1066" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1625803557.jpeg 1600w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1625803557-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1625803557-1536x1023.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Fabio Vieira helped turn the tide against Fulham. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<h2>3. Fabio Vieira</h2>
<p>Kai Havertz has so far been utilised by Arteta in a fluid role that sees him occupy a variety of positions. However, defining the German’s role in Arteta’s subtly new setup has been tough.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Havertz simply hasn’t done enough to warrant a start on Sunday. While it’s simply too early to write him off yet, it’d be best if he sat out of the limelight for a little while.</p>
<p>If Havertz is dropped, then Arteta has a big decision to make. Does he opt for security and start both Partey and Declan Rice or does he go bold and <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/29/time-fabio-vieira-make-arsenal-starting-xi/">utilise Fabio Vieira</a> in a role similar to one Granit Xhaka performed last season? While Vieira cannot replicate what Xhaka provided without the ball, last week he showed potential from a creative perspective in the left half-space and down the left flank.</p>
<p>The Portuguese creator <a title="3 standout players from disappointing draw with Fulham" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/26/3-standout-arsenal-players-disappointing-draw-fulham/" rel="">starred off the bench</a> against Fulham and played a leading role in Arsenal’s second-half resurgence, but has he done enough to warrant a start in such a big game?</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #4 player who must start vs Man Utd </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_136116" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136116" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/08/30/4-players-must-start-arsenal-vs-man-utd-sunday/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1625,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1640464181-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1625" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1640464181-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1640464181-768x487.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1640464181-1536x975.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1640464181-2048x1300.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Nketiah scored his second Premier League goal of the season against Fulham. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<h2>4. Eddie Nketiah</h2>
<p>Leandro Trossard was favoured over Nketiah last Saturday, but it was the latter off the bench who helped the Gunners turn the tide after Trossard struggled in the opening period.</p>
<p>While he missed a pair of big chances at Palace, Nketiah has had an excellent start to the season after rounding off his summer with a stellar display in the Emirates Cup against AS Monaco. His smart tap-in against Fulham was his second of the campaign already, and he’s deserving of a return to Arteta’s team.</p>
<p>Eddie scored twice against United in this fixture last season, including a late winner, and is currently the sharpest forward option the boss has at his disposal with Gabriel Jesus perhaps not yet 100% after a few weeks out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I expect Nketiah to get the nod with Jesus earning minutes off the bench.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
