'I don’t know if it’s a gamble' - Vieira questioned Arteta's decision ahead of Man City v Arsenal | OneFootball

When Arsenal traveled to the Etihad this past weekend for a season-defining showdown with Manchester City, Mikel Arteta made a call that raised more than a few eyebrows and after the dust settled on a 2-1 defeat, the conversation shifted from the result to the risk. The Gunners were beaten by Pep Guardiola’s Man City side at the Etihad Stadium who are now possibly the favourites to win the Premier League title.

Having lead the league table for most of the season, the last few weeks have been concerning for Arteta and his Arsenal side.

Defeats against Bournemouth and Man City have shifted the momentum in the Premier League title race.

Patrick Vieira questioned Arteta’s decision against Man City

Martin Odegaard of Arsenal looks on (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira questioned Arteta’s decision to start Martin Odegaard against City at the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking before kickoff, the Arsenal legend flagged it as a “big gamble,” pointing out that in a game against City, you aren’t just playing the ball, you’re running behind it, closing space, and maintaining extreme levels of intensity.

The legendary midfielder said, as reported by Metro:

‘I don’t know if it’s a gamble or not but I believe that maybe during the last couple of weeks, he did enough in training to show the manager that he deserved to start and the manager can count on him.

‘But for big games like that, I personally believe that it can be a big gamble because they will need a lot of intensity because they’re going to run a lot behind the ball and then, of course, quick decisions.

‘You will need to be really good on the ball and he didn’t play a starting game for quite a while so I’m just scared that will be too much for him today.’

Arsenal struggled with Odegaard in midfield

Looking at the 90 minutes, it’s hard to argue with the sentiment. Odegaard, often the orchestrator of Arsenal’s rhythm, struggled to find his usual spark and looked off the pace.

The tactical ripple effect of his return didn’t help matters, either. By shoving Eberechi Eze out to the left flank to make room for his captain, the Gunners arguably lost some of the fluidity they’d shown in recent outings.

Arteta is known for trusting his core, and you can understand the logic, you want your best players on the pitch when the title is on the line. But in a game where the margins are razor-thin, relying on a player who hasn’t had a consistent run of matches is a massive roll of the dice.

By the time Erling Haaland rifled home the winner in the 65th minute, the gamble had already been exposed.

For Arsenal, the focus now shifts to salvaging their remaining campaign, knowing that this particular tactical shuffle left them empty-handed in Manchester.