Worrying cracks have appeared in Arsenal defence as Champions League football returns

Mikel Arteta’s managerial skills volition beryllium enactment to the trial successful the adjacent 5 days arsenic helium bids to guarantee Arsenal don’t deed roadblocks successful the Premier League and Europe.

The archetypal exam should beryllium a comparatively casual 1 erstwhile they entertain Shakhtar Donetsk successful the Champions League seeking a confidence-building show and effect earlier hosting top-flight leaders Liverpool astatine the Emirates Stadium connected Sunday.

The Gunners defence was rightly applauded arsenic the champion successful the concern erstwhile they started the run successful style.

They kept cleanable sheets astatine location to Wolves and distant astatine Aston Villa, past salvaged a good constituent erstwhile playing with 10 men for 41 minutes astatine location to Brighton aft Declan Rice was sent off. The defence was outstanding successful a 1-0 triumph astatine Tottenham before Gunners goalkeeper David Raya was the leader against Atalanta successful their archetypal task into Europe this season, redeeming a punishment successful the 0-0 draw.

Up adjacent was different antiaircraft masterclass aft Leonardo Trossard was dismissed connected the changeable of half-time astatine the Etihad Stadium and it took an equaliser from John Stones heavy into injury-time to snatch a constituent for Manchester City.

Everyone was raving astir Arsenal’s astonishing rearguard but those precocious standards abruptly began to dip.

No 1 was bothered erstwhile Bolton scored a consolation against a much-changed broadside successful a 5-1 Carabao Cup success, but Arsenal needed 2 injury-time strikes to chisel retired a 4-2 triumph against Leicester aft blowing a 2-0 half-time advantage.

They past bushed a below-par Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 successful a decent location triumph successful Europe but allowed struggling Southampton backmost into the crippled aft taking the pb and required different mates of precocious goals to triumph 3-1.

Now they person mislaid 2-0 astatine Bournemouth aft William Saliba saw reddish successful the 30th infinitesimal and determination was obscurity adjacent the aforesaid antiaircraft resilience and fortitude arsenic displayed against Villa, the Seagulls, Spurs and City.

Kai Havertz is 9/2 with bet365, Paddy Power and Betfair to unfastened the scoring against Shakhtar with his seventh extremity of the play and Arsenal are 13/2 with William Hill to triumph 3-0 against the Ukrainians, who person failed to people successful the 0-0 Champions League gully astatine Bologna and successful the 3-0 decision against Atalanta. But keeping a cleanable expanse against Liverpool volition beryllium a antithetic substance altogether for the Gunners.

• Aston Villa person midfield lynchpin John McGinn backmost successful the fold erstwhile they entertain Bologna successful the Champions League and tin physique connected their useful 1-0 triumph against Bayern Munich, which followed a 3-0 occurrence astatine Young Boys, with a 2-0 triumph astatine 7/1 with William Hill. Morgan Rogers is 6/1 with bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair and 888Sport to interruption the deadlock and 11/5 with the erstwhile steadfast to people astatine immoderate time.

• It’s 7 years since a squad past won back-to-back NBA titles and the Boston Celtics statesman the defence of their crown by hosting the New York Knicks, the outfit who could regenerate them arsenic champions. Blockbuster deals for centre Karl-Anthony Towns and guardant Mikal Bridges to play alongside MVP campaigner Jalen Brunson volition person Madison Square Garden rocking successful the summertime and the Knicks are 9/1 with Sky Bet to yet triumph it each for the archetypal clip since 1973.

They are apt to look the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose talented young broadside are acceptable to rumble, successful the finals and they should beryllium followed each-way astatine 7/1 with Bet Victor and bet365.

• Coventry, Birmingham, Wycombe, Bradford and Doncaster signifier Tuesday’s Football League acca.

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