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Opinion
I saw £20m Arsenal player prove that Mikel Arteta can’t sell him vs Man United as he’s still vital
Before a ball was kicked in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Manchester United, a few fans in north London seemed slightly apprehensive.
The news was so filtering through that Arsenal𝄹 would be without both Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori – the left side of their imperious defence.
♏Furthermore, the absence of Gabriel meant that Mikel Arteta had lost a big threat from set pieces – well that was the theory.
🌠In the absence of two vital cogs, Arsenal’s defence stood up strong, with Jurrien Timber in particular doing a great impression of his Brazilian teammate from corners.
Jakub Kiwior took his chance brilliantly against Man United
Of course, in Arsenal’s backline it was Jakub Kiwior🦹 who stepped in, Arteta decided against moving Timber into a centre-back role and playing Thomas Partey as a full-back.
൲Despite Kiwior’s criticism at Arsenal, Arteta put his faith in the defender, and he stood big against United.
READ MORE: 🥀What Carlo Ancelotti told Martin Odegaard before he left Real Madrid for Arsenal is now baffling
♋On his left, Oleksandr Zinchenko had some shaky moments defensively, particularly when faced by Amad Diallo.
♒But Kiwior was resolute throughout, and could only really be faltered for half-baked clearance which fell to Diogo Dalot in the first half.
🔴Kiwior looked confident on the ball, was strong in his duels and certainly took his chance at the Emirates Stadium.
☂Remarkably, Kiwior even had an air of William Saliba about his performance when turning a few United forwards in difficult situations.
Mikel Arteta would be making a mistake selling Jakub Kiwior in January
Ahead of the transfer window reopening next month, Kiwior has been linked with an Arsenal exit🃏 – he’s thought to have plenty of interest from the Serie A.
In addition, it’s thought that Kiwior is keen to leave Arsenal꧟, he’s not content with his minutes at club level which have also stunted his form and momentum for the national team.
ꦜHowever, based on his performance against United, it would be a mistake to lose Kiwior mid-season, a player who is well-equipped to step in during a busy fixture schedule.
🔥Playing Kiwior as a left-back is no longer viable, but in his strongest position as left-sided centre-back, the Polish defender is more than capable of playing for Arsenal.
ꦛAnd given the aches and pains Arsenal players will pick up over the festive period, Kiwior’s firefighter role could end up being vital to any hopes of winning the title.