Elneny over Thomas? What win over Newcastle taught us ahead of Villarreal showdown

 

Mohamed Elneny

Elneny over Thomas? What win over Newcastle taught us ahead of Villarreal showdown

On paper, Sunday's game at Newcastle didn't have too much riding on it.

But a positive result and performance were essential to ensure Arsenal could go into Thursday night's season-defining Europa League semi-final second leg with confidence - and in that respect, it was a job well done.

Newcastle were passive throughout but Arsenal managed to achieve something that has become a rarity this season - swatting aside poor opposition with a minimum of fuss.

The win also gave a few pointers ahead of Thursday night, when the pressure will truly be on…

Xhaka aiding Martinelli progress - but can he be trusted?

Granit Xhaka had another solid game in his unfamiliar left-back role and Mikel Arteta feels the Swiss star is helping Gabriel Martinelli thrive on the same flank.

With a 91% passing success rate, Xhaka used the ball effectively at St James' Park and helped nullify the threat of Allan Saint-Maximin.

But even in a largely positive display, there was still signs of the frustrations that linger around the 28-year-old.

Already booked for a cynical swipe on Saint-Maximin, Xhaka was arguably fortunate not to see a second yellow for needlessly blocking off Sean Longstaff in the second half.

He got away with it this time but something similar on Thursday, if punished, could be a hammer blow to Arsenal's chances of progress. Can he keep his cool when it matters? 

Welcome return for Auba

With Alexandre Lacazette unlikely to be fit for Thursday night, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang's return to the scoresheet could hardly have been better timed.

The frontman lasted 78 minutes on his first start since recovering from malaria and was on hand to acrobatically convert Martinelli's cross and seal the points.

"I have to say, when you are out for a few weeks you realise how good it is to be back on the pitch," he told the club website after the game. "I was really happy to be back first and scoring a goal."

On his fitness, he added: "At the end, for the last five minutes, I was dying a little bit. But to tell the truth, I felt good the whole game so I was really happy with that."

We saw in last season's FA Cup run how the Gabon international rises to the big occasion - something similar on Thursday would almost be enough to make up for a campaign which has fallen some way below Aubameyang's high standards.

Elneny makes case for a start

If you had suggested upon his arrival that Thomas Partey may be left out the starting XI of a European semi-final in favour of Mohamed Elneny, you would have been laughed out of London.

But the Egyptian's well-taken goal on Sunday, combined with an impressive overall display in the engine room, mean that's a real prospect.

Partey has flattered to deceive throughout his maiden campaign as a Gunner and though he has European experience on his side, Elneny is arguably in superior form.

It's one of several key selection dilemmas for Arteta ahead of his biggest game as a manager to date - a clash which could go a long way to determining how long he stays in the hotseat.

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