“Arteta needs to start him and bench Nketiah because Arsenal must not lose this match and Sevilla are in a great form”- Man United legend Rio Ferdinand warns Mikel Arteta to unleash “absolutely clinical” Arsenal gem who is more potent in front of goal than Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah- Not Kai Havertz and not Riess Nelson

Arteta could boldly drop Nketiah by unleashing “clinical” Arsenal star

Mikel Arteta has a host of changes to make ahead of Arsenal’s clash against Sevilla this evening.

Arsenal are back in action this evening in the Champions League, as Mikel Arteta’s side look to go within touching distance of the last 16, with Sevilla welcomed to the Emirates.

It’s the fourth fixture of Group B, and with the Gunners sat at the top of the table, a win against Diego Alonso’s side would all but seal the Premier League outfit’s progression into the next round.

Victory will be far from easy, as Arteta will be aware of from their last test in Seville in the match that ended 2-1 to Arsenal, and with key players missing, the Spaniard could be set to shuffle his side once more in the bid to collect three points.

Arsenal team news vs Sevilla

After a disastrous week, the north Londoners will be eager to get back to winning ways, following defeats against West Ham United and Newcastle United in the previous two outings.

Arteta has a host of squad problems to solve ahead of tonight’s showdown at the Emirates, with injuries to key members of the XI hitting hard during the bustling schedule.

In terms of absentees, Emile Smith-Rowe, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Jurrien Timber will certainly be out of contention for this evening’s fixture, leaving options in the midfield alarmingly thin as the games pile up.

To add to the strain in the middle of the park, the manager confirmed in his pre-match press conference that captain, Martin Odegaard, is a doubt as he continues to recover from an underlying hip problem.

Journalist Mark Mann-Bryans noted that Eddie Nketiah was not present in Tuesday’s training session, claiming that the Englishman will undergo a late fitness test to determine his stance ahead of the Champions League challenge.

Luckily for Arteta, the front line is where he has several options to rotate, with one name the ideal replacement for Nketiah, whether he is deemed fit or not.

The stats that show Leandro Trossard must start against Sevilla

Prior to his hat trick against Sheffield United, many were concerned about the 24-year-old’s lack of conviction in the final third, which was noise he silenced with a heroic three-goal display in the Premier League.

Since then, it seems Nketiah has gone back to his usual ways, as highlighted in the table above that displays his form over the two games since Arsenal’s 5-0 dismantling of the Blades.

By dropping the Englishman, or losing him to injury, Arteta could use the opportunity to unleash Leandro Trossard, who has proved a point when in action in the Champions League already this term.

Lauded as “absolutely clinical” by journalist Phil Costa during the Gunners’ opening fixture in the competition, the Belgian needs little opportunity to score, as highlighted by his stellar 50% conversion rate in the Premier League this term.

In Trossard, the manager has an established goal scorer, with a prolific nature when creeping into the box, making him almost impossible to defend against if he is able to get his shot away, while the former Brighton and Hove Albion man can also chip in creatively, having registered ten assists in just 22 games for the Gunners last term – more than Nketiah has achieved in his entire Arsenal career (6).

Regardless of the latter man’s fitness status, Arteta must drop the 24-year-old in favour of the £90k-per-week star to promote healthy competition and give the Belgium international the chance to shine once more on the biggest stage.