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Yesterday, Arsenal suffered a horrific defeat at Etihad and their chances for a top 4 do not look feasible. Unai Emery and his men are traversing through plenty of problems currently, the most impactful one being the injuries to their key players.
The likes of Rob Holding, Hector Bellerin and Danny Welbeck are sidelined for the whole season. Except for the latter, Holding and Bellerin were first-team players under Unai and their injuries was a huge blow to the North London outfit. Sokratis, Mkhitaryan, Niles and Granit Xhaka are all currently injured as well.
However, Unai Emery has shown signs of progress and if not for injuries, Arsenal would have been clear contenders for the title. The injuries have forced them to change formations every week and the players haven't really settled with a particular formation.
The gaffer has to work with what he has at his disposal, and it is a huge challenge for Emery to compete for the 4th place against sides like Manchester United and Chelsea, who have a superior squad on paper than Arsenal.
Well, Unai Emery is a specialist when it comes to winning silverware with average squads. Arsenal is not better than any team in the top 6 on paper, and that is the sad truth. But the Gooners still should not rule out a top 4 finish. Here is why Arsenal can still believe in a 4th place finish.
#4 The inclusion of Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Finally, the player Arsenal has been missing incredibly is back to training. He trained normally with the squad before their visit to Manchester but was not in the travelling squad.
However, Henrikh Mkhitaryan will surely be on the bench, if not in the starting XI when Arsenal travel north again to play Huddersfield next weekend. Playing Aubameyang and Lacazette side by side is a bit of a gamble, as none of the strikers can actually create chances or play pin-point through balls.
With Mkhitaryan, Arsenal will shift to a 4-3-3 with either one of Aubameyang or Lacazette taking up the central striking position. Unai Emery refrains from playing Ozil and with Mkhitaryan injured, there is no playmaker in the line-up. But Arsenal can get back to their best form with the Armenian by their side.
#3 Easy fixtures coming up for Arsenal
Arsenal has been a bit luckier than Chelsea and Manchester United in this aspect. The Gunners have played both Liverpool and Manchester City, at home and away from home, and they could only manage to bag a point from a potential 12. But that is not to be considered anymore.
Arsenal will play Huddersfield, Southampton and Bournemouth in their next 3 Premier League games, before travelling to Wembley. An easy list compared to Manchester United, who play Fulham, Liverpool and Crystal Palace. It's not easy for Chelsea either, as they play City, Brighton and Tottenham; all away from home.
The Gunners have a huge chance to get themselves back on track and they're likely to finish on the 4th place by the end of this month if they win all their upcoming games. It's a very good opportunity for Arsenal to pull up themselves.
#2 The robust partnership of Torreira and Guendouzi
If there is any player Arsenal should keep hold of for the coming years, its Matteo Guendouzi. He was been the best player in the Arsenal shirt yesterday at Etihad, and the 19-year-old deserves a better squad to play with.
Lucas Torreira, on the other hand, was more than just a central defensive midfielder. Not only did he make several tackles and interceptions and often stopped Manchester City's quick counter-attacks, but also played through balls to his attackers to feed on. The Urugyuan could walk into any team's midfield because he is extraordinary.
Arsenal clearly missed Granit Xhaka in the middle of the pitch, but their midfield still put in a decent performance. Their problems remain in their defence. Mustafi and Lichtsteiner do not deserve to play for a club like Arsenal and it's time Unai Emery starts Dinos Mavrapanos at the back, switching back to a 4-man defence.
Torreira and Guendouzi were the only players who were willing to take risks and start attacks against City, and Emery must be pretty happy with their performance.
#1 Koscienly's comeback and Dinos Mavropanos
Not many might know who Dinos Mavropanos is. Well, he is a Greek player who plays as a centre-back for Arsenal. He is 21 years old and was one of Arsene's reliable signings last season.
Mavropanos made his senior team debut last season under Arsene Wenger against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Surprisingly, he was one of Arsenal's best players in that particular game and since then, he has been a fan-favourite.
However, he was ruled out due to a groin injury by the end of last season and he made his first Premier League appearance this season against Manchester City yesterday. He wasn't on the pitch for much time, but Raheem Sterling had a tough time going past him in the ending minutes of the game.
Laurent Koscielny, on the other hand, has taken up the role of a leader and displayed an impactful performance yesterday against the Citizens. He was Arsenal's only goalscorer and played a key part in keeping Bernado Silva at bay on the right flank.
It is time for Unai to play a 4-man defence with Dinos and Koscielny at the back until Sokratis returns, as both Mustafi and Lichtsteiner have been below average for Arsenal. The Spaniard might have to take some risky decisions but that is the only way he can progress.
