Arteta already has solution to solve Arsenal’s only problem position

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Arsenal are flying high at the top of the Premier League table but there are always areas to improve. Mikel Arteta’s side have only kept three clean sheets in the league so far this season and giving Gabriel a breather may be what is required.

Gabriel has played every minute of every game so far, including both the Europa League group stage matches. He is the only player in the Arsenal squad to have achieved that feat.

The 24-year-old is yet to be capped at senior level for Brazil and remained at home for the recent international break, so was given a rest when some of his club team-mates weren’t. But perhaps it is now time he was taken out of the firing line.

In Ben White, Arteta has the perfect man to slot into the middle of defence alongside William Saliba. With Takehiro Tomiyasu now back and fully fit, White can move into his preferred position for the first time this season.

Gabriel has not had a bad campaign, far from it. But he has been guilty of a couple of big errors in the last couple of weeks.

He gave away the penalty which Harry Kane converted in the north London derby. He was also unable to deal with a ball over the top which led to Liverpool’s first equaliser through Darwin Nunez on Sunday.

Arsenal cannot rely on scoring two or three goals to win every game. There will come a time when the frontline isn’t firing on all cylinders.

Successful teams are built on a strong defence and Arsenal have definitely improved in that regard. Gabriel is an important player but Arteta must be careful he doesn’t burn him out.

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Former Arsenal double winner Emmanuel Petit recently claimed Gabriel is suffering from a lack of confidence and looked nervous against Liverpool. Saliba looks the senior partner at times despite being four years his junior and having played a fraction of the games his team-mate has in English football.

White played the majority of his debut season at the Emirates as a centre-back, so will have no problem moving across slightly, even if it is just on a temporary basis. Arteta won’t want to change a winning formula too much, and he’d be right not to.

But with a hugely congested fixture schedule, rest and rotation must come into consideration. Manchester City chop and change at the back on a regular basis so perhaps Arteta can take a leaf out of his old club’s book.

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