Arsenal vs Manchester City: Top Performers’ Stats

(CTN News) – Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal could not have predicted they would lead the league by late April at the start of the season.

With three consecutive draws in recent weeks, Arsenal’s form has dipped slightly in recent weeks after exceeding all expectations to mount an unlikely title charge. To remain in control of the title race, they must win at the Etihad Stadium in a crucial match against Manchester City.

There are some key players in Arsenal’s squad who are still in their early 20s, and they are the joint-youngest in the Premier League with Southampton.

Take a look at Arsenal’s top performers based on the stats…

Premier League: Arsenal’s star players

From a disappointing fifth-place finish in 2021-22 to a genuine title contender, the Arsenal have been a breath of fresh air in the Premier League this season. In addition to their outstanding form, a trio of young stars has led the team in goal-scoring and creating opportunities.

We examine Arsenal’s top performers with the help of our friends at Sofascore…

Grazia Martinelli

The forward joined the team at the age of 18 from Brazilian side Ituano and impressed immediately with his dribbling and direct running.

This season, however, the 21-year-old’s performances have skyrocketed, and he has become one of Europe’s most feared young forwards.

Currently, Martinelli is joint-fifth in the Premier League standings with Marcus Rashford with 15 league goals. His finishing has significantly improved this season, with 15 goals coming from just 8.92 xG; a measure of chance quality. As a result, he has outperformed the average player by approximately six goals.

This season, he has the best shot conversion rate of any player who has scored at least 12 goals in the Premier League.

Ingmar Odegaard

He has shown exactly why Real Madrid brought him to the Bernabeu at the age of 15 since taking over the Arsenal captaincy.

It may not have been possible for him to break into Real Madrid’s star-studded midfield, but he has clearly found a home at the Emirates Stadium and is perhaps the most important player in Arteta’s team.

As can be seen from his heat map, Odegaard’s influence can be seen in a large area of the Arsenal midfield. While he drops deep to build the play, he is most creative in the final third of the field, where he picks up pockets of space to the right of center in order to combine with Bukayo Saka.

Furthermore, Odegaard has enjoyed a superb season in front of goal in addition to his play-making abilities. A total of 12 Premier League goals have been scored by him, making him the highest scoring midfielder in the competition.

Asabukayo Saka

Bukayo Saka has been hailed as a future star since breaking through at the age of 17 for the Gunners. His performances this season have made him one of the most talked-about young players in Europe.

There have been 13 goals scored by Saka in the Premier League, and 11 assists have been provided. The young winger is behind only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane in Premier League goal involvements; illustrious company.

Besides scoring goals, Saka has been an integral part of Arsenal’s build-up play this season.

When he plays on the right, he tends to drift inside, where he can link up with Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus. As a contrast to Martinelli’s more direct running on the other side, his on-ball intelligence and passing stand out.

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