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Arsenal fans fume at Mikel Arteta for starting XI vs Man City - 'I thought Emery was gone'
Arsenal supporters aren't all too pleased with Mikel Arteta for the starting eleven he has picked to face Manchester United this evening.
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta arrives at stadium ahead of Man City clash
A vast majority of Arsenal supporters were left scratching their heads after Mikel Arteta sparked a shock with the starting line-up he named to take on Manchester City tonight (8.15pm kick-off).
The Gunners return to Premier League action for the first time since March 7 after the coronavirus crisis forced a three-month break.
And on their return, Arsenal boss Arteta made five changes to his starting eleven.
The Spanish coach welcomes back Hector Bellerin at right-back with Sokratis Papastathopoulos out injured.
David Luiz drops out for Shkodran Mustafi in central defence while Kieran Tierney replaces Bukayo Saka at left-back.
Saka, though, keeps his starting spot and will seemingly play in a wide role up top alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Eddie Nketiah.
In midfield, Matteo Guendouzi joins Granit Xhaka and Joe Willock, with no room for the on-loan Dani Ceballos.
Nicolas Pepe is on the bench alongside the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli but there is no place in the match-day squad for Mesut Ozil.
And Arsenal fans were left perplexed at the unusual starting side against Pep Guardiola's reigning champions - even comparing Arteta to former Gunners manager Unai Emery.
"Very weird team ngl," was one's reaction on Twitter as another responded: "What formation are we playing?!"
Another said simply: "I thought Emery was gone."
One more also compared Arteta with his sacked predecessor and said: "Has Arteta been speaking to Emery during lockdown? I’m not impressed with our lineup at all @Arsenal!"
One wrote: "This line up doesn’t give much confidence, if we get anything out of this game then I will be surprised. Let’s hope this is an Arteta masterclass."
While another posted: "Where is torreira, why isn’t pepe playing and most of all WHY THE F*** IS XHAKA PLAYING."
"Where's the creativity coming from? Willock?" asked a fifth.
One more said: "Here we go. Welcome back. I missed the heartbreaks."
And another laughed: "Haha nice one. Now post the real team. #Blimey."
Manchester City also make eight changes from the team that lost to Manchester United in their previous top-flight match.
Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane are left on the bench, while the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Eric Garcia, Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus come into the team.