#2 Mesut Ozil vs Fernandinho
Depriving Mesut Ozil of making use of space would be one of the responsibilities that Fernandinho will be tasked with. There is no denying that the German playmaker is a lethal commodity when he is on the ball and has the ability to seamlessly engineer goalscoring chances for his side.
For the blue half of Manchester, Fernandinho must try to disrupt Ozil’s rhythm. He needs to win possession, shield City’s backline and launch himself forward whenever suitable opportunities arise. The Brazilian must tackle and use his physical strengths sensibly and try to choke Arsenal’s creative engine.
#1 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang vs Aymeric Laporte
Arsenal’s January transfer window signing, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, is still adjusting to life in the Premier League and he would be looking forward to making his presence felt against a top quality opposition. He was tamed by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final
The Gabon international’s entry to the Emirates Stadium was a ground-shattering move by the north London outfit and it is time for him to live up to the expectations.
Aymeric Laporte is expected to operate as the central defender for the visiting side and given the resilience that he showcases, it goes without saying that he would be a tough nut to crack.
