‘Will play’: Journalist suggests Mikel Arteta is set to recall £35m Arsenal player and start him vs City

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Granit Xhaka was named as a doubt for Arsenal in Mikel Arteta’s pre-match press conference ahead of the Manchester City game, but Charles Watts is fairly sure that he will play.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the journalist claimed that the Swiss midfielder is likely to return to the XI against City despite the fact he’s been unwell recently.

Indeed, the reporter says that he would be absolutely stunned if Xhaka doesn’t start this game.

Xhaka to start

Watts spoke about the £35m midfielder.

“I think Xhaka will play, I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t. If he trains today he plays in my opinion. I know Mikel is saying that he’s a doubt but I’d be very, very surprised if Granit Xhaka doesn’t play. If he’s fit enough to train then he plays at the Etihad. He doesn’t sit on the bench, I’d be very surprised in a game of this magnitude. As long as he’s recovered from this illness there’s no question that he’ll be in this team if he travels later today,” Watts said.

Has to start

Even if Xhaka isn’t 100 per cent, he has to start this game against Manchester City.

At this point in the title race, you can’t take risks in games like this. You start your strongest XI and go from there.

Xhaka is undoubtedly one of Arsenal’s most important players, and he’d be missed massively if he wasn’t to play here.

Luckily, it sounds as though he is on the road to recovery and he will be ready to return to Mikel Arteta’s XI for this potentially season-defining match.