Arsenal secured a 3-2 win over Liverpool in their previous Premier League outing to put them back on top of the Premier League table.
One Gunners player in particular whose inclusion in the team on Sunday caught some attention is Takehiro Tomiyasu. Despite predominantly playing as a right-back, the Japan defender was deployed in the left-back role on this occasion in the absence of the injured Oleksandr Zinchenko.
After the match, former Premier League striker Noel Whelan shared his thoughts on this move from Mikel Arteta, along with what it could mean for the team going forward.
Whelan praises “standout” Tomiyasu
Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan said of Tomiyasu: “I thought he was brilliant. I was watching, thinking: ‘Am I seeing a mirror image here? He’s on the wrong side.’
“But he didn’t look out of place. He was strong, quick, and there was just nothing [Mohamed] Salah could do to get past him.
“That just shows what a good player he is, the fact that he can adapt to playing either side as well as at centre-back.
“It will have been really pleasing to see for Arteta – and more to the point, he won’t want to take him out of that side.
“If you can keep a player like Salah quiet, and put in that performance on your weaker side, then you’re quite rightly a standout. He was someone who really impressed me by nullifying one of Liverpool’s massive strengths.”
Arteta has big decision to make
To get into the specifics of Tomiyasu’s performance against Jurgen Klopp’s side, he made six clearances, three tackles and one interception, more than any other Arsenal defender on the day for each metric, while also winning seven of his 10 duels (Sofascore).
Bearing in mind how Arteta has the likes of Kieran Tierney and Zinchenko in his squad that are predominant left-backs, the Spaniard has a big decision to make as to who he wants to have in that position moving forward, especially when he has each of his options fit and available.
