"Lightest player in the Premier League" "Not sure what we'll get" - Arsenal fans feel 22-year-old could be 'bullied physically' after earning rare start against Brentford

Arsenal fans are skeptical about seeing midfielder Fabio Vieira in the starting XI in their Premier League clash away against Brentford on Sunday.

Vieira, 22, will play in only his third match this season for the Gunners since joining from Porto for £34 million earlier this summer. He has played one Premier League match and one UEFA Europa League match so far.

However, he made his way into the Gunners' starting lineup today as captain Martin Odegaard is out due to an injury. The Portuguese starts alongside Granit Xhaka, who is the captain for the match, and the returning Thomas Partey in midfield.

He will hope to create play and provide service for the front three of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka. Arsenal's defense against Brentford comprises of Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Kieran Tierney.

Vieira was the top assist provider in Liga Portugal last season with 14 assists for Porto. However, some Gunners fans have doubts about Vieira's ability to handle the intensity and physicality of the Premier League.

Arsenal will hope to return to winning ways in the Premier League after their 3-1 defeat against Manchester United. However, they beat Zurich FC 2-1 in their UEFA Europa League fixture after that.

The Gunners are currently third in the league table but could secure top spot if they win against Brentford.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on Gabriel Jesus' exclusion from Brazil squad

Gabriel Jesus was surprisingly left out of the Brazilian squad by Tite for their upcoming friendlies against Ghana and Tunisia. The striker has been in prolific form since joining Arsenal earlier this summer from Manchester City for £45 million. He has scored three goals and provided three assists in seven matches in all competitions so far.

His manager Mikel Arteta has, however, asked Jesus to continue to work hard and convince Tite to select him in the upcoming World Cup squad. He said (via Daily Star):

Jesus' compatriots and Arsenal teammates Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes haven't made the squad for Brazil's upcoming friendlies either. They will look to perform well for the Gunners to break into the team for the World Cup in Qatar.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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