Agbonlahor suggests Gabriel Martinelli in line for Arsenal axe after ‘crazy’ reveal
Arsenal need to rotate their starting XI or they will suffer from burnout, according to Gabby Agbonlahor.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Aston Villa and England attacker suggested Gabriel Martinelli should be the first to drop out of Mikel Arteta’s preferred starting XI.
Martinelli is one of eight Arsenal players who have started all 11 of their Premier League games this season.
Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Granit Xhaka, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Martinelli have been named in every starting line-up while Martin Odegaard has only missed one top-flight game.
As quoted by Sky Sports on Friday (21 October), Arteta claimed it would be “crazy” to change his side three times a week and his players have to get used to playing regularly.
“Now it’s coming to the stage where a bit more rotation is needed,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“Does Martinelli have a rest and you bring in [Fabio] Vieira or Marquinhos?
“You need to rest certain players because they are going to suffer from burnout. They haven’t looked as sharp.
“Everyone keeps saying they are going to fall off but they are not going anywhere. For me, they finish in the top two this season, I don’t think they are going to win the league because I think Man City will beat them twice.
“Apart from Man City, I feel they are capable of beating the teams around them. When they play Man United at the Emirates they will beat them. They won’t be scared of beating Liverpool at the Emirates.
“Arsenal are going to be up there, they are not going anywhere.”
Arsenal dropped points for just the second time this season on Sunday (23 October) as they drew 1-1 with Southampton.
Despite the result, the Gunners remain two points clear at the top of the table.
In other news, Kieran Maguire has lambasted “spectacular arrogance” as Arsenal chief Mark Gonnella quits.