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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Jonathan Gorrie

Gary Neville names the Arsenal ‘experiment’ that ‘won’t happen’ again after Mikel Arteta tinkering

Gary Neville believes Mikel Arteta is finished tinkering with his Arsenal team.

The Gunners recorded a crucial win over Manchester City on Sunday, their first victory against the Premier League champions in 12 attempts.

Gabriel Martinelli’s late shot was deflected off of Nathan Ake to earn Arteta’s side a crucial three points, putting them behind early League leaders and arch-rivals Tottenham on only goals scored.

While it has been a fantastic start to the season for the club, Arteta had initially strayed from the system that took Arsenal so far last year.

Defender Gabriel Magalhaes dropped out of the team at the start of the campaign, while a host of other centre-backs operated at left-back in the absence of Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Thomas Partey was deployed at right-back too as Arteta struggled to accommodate summer signings Declan Rice and Kai Havertz.

Now, however, Neville believes the Gunners boss has worked out a winning formula, with Gabriel and William Saliba crucial in keeping City quiet on Sunday.

"They have to keep Rice fit, the idea of not playing Gabriel Magalhaes at the start of the season was an experiment that won’t happen again,” he said to Sky Sports.

“Those two centre-halves - Gabriel and William Saliba - were pivotal against City, they were outstanding playing against the best player in the world in that position [Erling Haaland].”

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