This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
Arsenal and Liverpool produced a thriller at Anfield in the fourth round of the League Cup.
Many will remember the 4-4 draw between the two sides in 2009, with Andrey Arshavin bagging four goals. On Wednesday night, both sides went one better, with the final score ending 5-5 before the Reds won in a penalty shootout.
Watch the moment Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal career may have come to an ugly end in the video below…
Unai Emery made a lot of changes to the side that drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace last weekend, and one of those to be given a starting berth was Uruguay international Lucas Torreira. The 23-year-old impressed in the middle of the park, and may have given his boss something to think about in the future.
First and foremost, he got himself on the scoresheet, which will have caught the eye of most watching him. But there were plenty of other positives on Merseyside against the European champions.
He lost possession just six times, which was the joint-lowest of any outfield player who started the match, whilst he also managed to win 55.5% of the ground duels he contested.
His 84% pass accuracy was only bettered by Joe Willock and Mesut Ozil amongst his teammates as well, which showed he was calm and confident in possession.
Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
Defensively, he did make just one tackle, but was also dribbled past just once despite Jurgen Klopp’s side having 67% possession.
All in all, it was a good showing from the former Sampdoria man, and Unai Emery should be considering playing him on a more regular basis. So far this season, the £49.5m-valued (as per Transfermarkt) midfielder has started just two Premier League games, with Granit Xhaka being one of those regularly fancied ahead of him.
The Switzerland international, of course, has recently grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons following the unsavoury incident against the Eagles last Sunday.
As such, his future in north London looks under serious threat at the moment. According to Sky Deutschland, the Gunners are interested in taking Borussia Monchengladbach 22-year-old Denis Zakaria to the Emirates Stadium, who could act as Xhaka’s replacement.
However, with the 27-year-old’s position surely under threat, Emery has his alternative in midfield right under his nose in Torreira.
Why spend millions on a new face when the popular 21-cap man has the ability to do a great job in the middle of the park? He deserves his chance to shine and, on this display, there is no reason why he shouldn’t be given that opportunity.
