‘Don’t even try to play him on Sunday unless you want Man City to shame you,’ says the manager. Kevin Campbell has advised Arteta not to start the £45 million Arsenal player against Manchester City on Sunday in order to avoid being fired
‘Don’t even try to play him on Sunday unless you want to be embarrassed by Man City,’ adds the manager. Kevin Campbell has instructed Arteta not to start against Manchester City on Sunday if he wants to avoid being fired.
This Saturday, Arsenal will meet Manchester City in what might be a season-defining clash between two title contenders.
Indeed, the winners of this game will be the early pacesetters in the Premier League, and this is the first opportunity for either team to make a genuine statement of intent.
The Gunners enter this encounter with a number of selection difficulties to sort out.
Who should go first in goal? Three big questions are who should replace Bukayo Saka if he is injured and who should play in the midfield.
Thomas Partey has been spotted back in Arsenal training this week, raising the question of whether or not the Ghanaian should start on Sunday.
However, Kevin Campbell, speaking on the Highbury Squad YouTube channel, believes Arsenal should not risk Partey for this game and instead let him fight another day.
Partey should not be playing.
Campbell discussed the £45 million man and why he should not play.
“Partey is back in training, do you play Partey against Manchester City?” Campbell was questioned.
“No, you don’t, you don’t play him, and I love Thomas, the general, I love him, but we don’t need to take the risk of rushing him back for that game, because we will need Thomas Partey in that midfield many times.” Declan Rice is performing admirably in the midfield, so I expect more of the same,” Campbell added.
It’s possible to get away with it.
It’s a gamble not to play Partey in a game of this magnitude, but Arsenal might be able to get away with it.
With Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri both out, the midfield fight versus Manchester City will be much different, and Arsenal may easily beat them without Partey in the heart of the park.
It’s a long season, and putting a player like Partey at risk of injury this early on is probably not a good idea.
