‘Don’t think he plays’: Kevin Campbell is convinced Arteta’s about to drop £34m Arsenal player tonight

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Kevin Campbell has tipped Fabio Vieira to be dropped from Arsenal’s starting XI against Manchester City.

The Portuguese midfielder had a bit of a nightmare against Southampton at the weekend, and with Granit Xhaka set to return to the side, Campbell reckons that Vieira will be taken out of the side.

However, Xhaka does remain a doubt, but even if the Swiss midfielder doesn’t start for the Gunners tonight, and speaking on the Highbury Squad YouTube channel, Campbell stated that expects Leandro Trossard to come in for Vieira with Oleksandr Zinchenko pushing up a bit higher to play in the midfield.

Vieira to be dropped

Campbell tipped the £34m player to be dropped.

“If Xhaka is not back by the way, I think the extra nous of Trossard could be a difference maker. There may have to be some tinkering with Partey and Zinchenko because Zinchenko would have to play more as a midfielder, because if Trossard is to play we have to get him higher up the pitch, I don’t think Vieira plays, no,” Campbell said.

Can’t take the risk

Mikel Arteta has to play the team that he trusts the most in this game, and it’s hard to imagine that Vieira features in that particular lineup.

Indeed, after a disastrous performance last weekend, the Portuguese midfielder may not be up to the task of playing in the biggest game of the season. Meanwhile players like Xhaka and Trossard have consistently stepped up in the biggest games this season.

Of course, this all depends on Xhaka’s fitness, but after Charles Watts claimed he was fairly certain that the midfielder will start in this one, it’s fair to say that we should be expecting to see Xhaka’s name on the teamsheet this evening.