Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey have both dropped team news hints ahead of Arsenal's clash against Manchester City on Wednesday night. The duo have posted pre-match graphic previews of the blockbuster bout to their respective Instagram stories.
The Gunners head into the tie five points clear of the reigning champions, who have two crucial games in hand. A win for Arsenal will provide them with some much-needed breathing space, while a victory for City will significantly dent their rival's confidence in the run-in.
With Arsenal weakened at the back, Mikel Arteta will be relying on his midfield to glue provider sturdy cover for whoever fills in for William Saliba. But, City are a force to be reckoned with so Xhaka and Partey could be in for a difficult evening.
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Ahead of what is shaped to be a title-defining clash, Arteta explained the mental barrier which his players must break following a string of disappointing results. Speaking to football.london, the Gunners boss said: "Human errors. Players make a lot of fantastic decisions, but they also make a lot of mistakes.
"The areas where they make mistakes probably define the extent and the consequences of those mistakes. Where we made those mistakes punished us heavily. Looking at the last two games back, taking them apart, we deserved to win both games without a question of a doubt.
"We have made some errors but we’ve won those games and then those errors get resolved," Arteta added. "But we’ve had some of them where we’ve managed to do that.
"Certainly, in certain areas you have to minimise the errors as much as possible because the margins become much smaller. I don’t think it’s about that (pressure). It’s decision-making, sometimes execution, sometimes the opponents as well who put you in certain positions to force those mistakes.
"We’ve done some in the past as well that I can remember especially at home where it’s cost us something and we’ve still managed to win the games."
While Xhaka and Partey posting previews of the City fixture to their social media profiles does not necessarily mean they will start, it usually means they will be involved in some capacity.
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