The business end of the season is well and truly here, and Arsenal are in with a real chance of winning the Premier League, or Champions League – or both.
Mikel Arteta's side may have technically dropped two points away to Manchester City on Sunday, but picking up one point at the Etihad – the club's first since 2016 – should, and likely will serve as the encouragement the north Londoners need to push on and win the league this year.
However, with no margin for error, the Gunners will need everyone in the squad firing, so Arteta should rest one of his most important players this evening and give some much-needed minutes to an attack-minded ace who could come in handy as the tension keeps growing.
Why Jorginho should be rested for Luton
So, the star player who should be rested against the Hatters tonight is Italian star Jorginho. He played 66 minutes against City on Sunday and received a 7/10 rating from the Standard's Simon Collings for his efforts.
The former Chelsea ace has been instrumental in Arsenal's title push this year. He's started and thrived in most of the Gunners' high-pressure clashes in the league, picking up a Man of the Match award against Liverpool and Newcastle United.
His ability on the ball and brilliant footballing mind have been essential parts of the Gunners' game plan for these must-win encounters. As the campaign continues, he'll likely remain one of the most important players for these games, but the manager can afford to rest him for a match against 18th-placed Luton.
Now, this isn't to say the meeting with the Bedfordshire outfit will be a cakewalk – the reverse fixture showed why that's unlikely – but when goal difference could well be the differentiator come May the north Londoners should be looking to play as many attack-minded players as possible in home games against the newly promoted teams.
That said, allowing Jorginho to rest and improving the team's goal difference aren't the only reasons why the 32-year-old should sit on the bench for this evening's game.
Why Fabio Vieira should start vs Luton
Portuguese gem Fabio Vieira is the midfielder who should come in for Jorginho against Luton this evening.
Now, allowing the Italian international to rest up for the more challenging games to come is reason enough for the former Porto ace to start at the Emirates. Still, the other, arguably more important reason is his match sharpness or lack thereof.
The 23-year-old ace has made 14 first-team appearances this season, but with just three of those being starts, and only two of those coming in the league, he is severely lacking in genuine sharpness, and as the games start to come thick and fast over the next two months, Arteta will need to know he can call on anyone in his squad to come in a do a job.
So, by starting the 5 foot 7 dynamo this evening, the Spaniard can help him better prepare for the onslaught of must-win games to come. Moreover, if the Santa Maria da Feira-born star can get back to his best before the end of the season, he won't simply be just another body in midfield.
Appearances
39
Goals
7
Assists
16
Goal Involvements per Match
0.58
In his final season with the Dragões, the "exceptional" player, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, scored seven goals and provided 16 assists in just 39 appearances, with only 18 of those being starts, so he could make a genuine difference to the North Londoners' title push.
Ultimately, Arteta should look to rest Jorginho this evening, both to allow him to recover from Sunday and to give Vieira a much-needed start, in the hope that he can become a reliable option as the season comes to a thrilling crescendo.
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