Tony Adams has suggested that Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka is capable of “tearing apart” Manchester City when the rivals face off on Wednesday night.
Saka has been in stunning form this season as he has grabbed seven goals and eight assists in 21 appearances in the Premier League.
The Englishman’s performances have helped Arsenal move three points clear of Man City with a game in hand ahead of Wednesday’s game at the Emirates.
Gunners winger Saka has only scored one goal in his seven appearances against Man City, but Adams feels he can ‘tear the left-back spot to pieces’.
‘If Pep Guardiola does not pay Arsenal the respect they deserve, Bukayo Saka will tear his Manchester City side apart tomorrow,’ Adams wrote for The Sun.
‘I have no idea what Pep’s trying to do with his defence this season and it’s almost as if he’s trying to throw the title away.
‘So it will be fascinating to see what he tries tomorrow. If he puts Nathan Ake at left-back and plays his best back four, I think City will win the game.
‘But I’m not convinced that’s what he’ll do, and if he continues to mess about with his formation he’ll have no one to deal with Saka, who has been brilliant all season for both Arsenal and England.
‘Stop Saka and you stop Arsenal. It’s as simple as that because every time an opposing left-back has a good game against them, they struggle.
‘But Guardiola has just allowed Joao Cancelo to leave and I don’t think he actually knows his best team any more.
‘He’s got the ammunition to beat every side in the country but there have been a number of times this season when he’s tried to get clever with his tactics and it backfired on him.
‘It’s almost as if his arrogance is saying “we don’t need a left-back, I can put Kevin De Bruyne on the bench, we can have a completely lop-sided formation and we can still win the game.”
‘So if I was playing against this City team I’d keep getting the ball out to Saka to tear their left- back spot to pieces and smash them for being disrespectful.’
Adams also feels that a draw would be a “brilliant result” for Arsenal.
‘Really it’s all about being resilient, dogged, professional and a bit boring. If we come off with a goalless draw, hallelujah, that’s a brilliant result and you march on from there,’ Adams added.
‘But like Guardiola, Mikel Arteta is a very offensive coach and neither of them go out with the intention of keeping a clean sheet.
‘So it’s more likely to be 4-3 than 0-0 tomorrow.’
